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The Kano State Resident Electoral Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Riskuwa Arabu Shehu, has said that the commission is yet to recognize any governorship candidate in Kano.
Prof. Riskuwa Arabu Shehu who disclosed this on Monday said the commission is yet to be informed by the political parties of their flagbearers.
It will be recalled that this is in reaction to a story over the alleged emergence of two Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidates; Mohammed Abacha and Sadiq Wali who are said to be claiming INEC’s recognition as the authentic candidate of the party ahead of the 2023 Kano gubernatorial election.
Recalls that the PDP in Kano State is factionalized with Wada Sagagi-led executives recognized by the party headquarters and the court while the other group is led by Aminu Wali.
According to Kano REC, “The recognition of a candidate for any election is the responsibility of the party and after the conduct of primaries, the party is then expected to forward to the commission the party’s candidates and their running mates.’’
Prof. Shehu, further said that the only responsibility of INEC in party primaries is to serve as an observer during the exercise which the commission did in the case of the Kano PDP governorship race.
He then added that “The commission was at the governorship primary of Muhammad Abacha as an observer but was not present at the Sadiq Wali primary.’’
He noted that the commission at the state level does not recognize candidates of political parties.
Prof. Shehu, therefore, disclosed that the political parties have a window of submitting their presidential and governorship candidate’s running mates on or before June 17th 2022.
He also added that the “INEC does not accept candidate’s nominations without running mates.’’
