INEC Reveals Why Gwarzo’s Name Has Not Been Published

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has cleared the air on the absence of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) governorship candidate in Kano State, Abdulsalam Gwarzo, from its updated list of candidates.

Naija News reports that the commission said Gwarzo had been cleared to contest, but a court order prevented it from publishing his name.

A senior INEC official, who spoke with Daily Trust, explained that a Federal High Court in Kano issued an ex parte order on October 27 barring the commission from uploading the names of any NDC candidates.

“I thought I told you he had been cleared, subject only to the final outcome of an ex parte order by a Federal High Court in Kano on October 27 that we should not download the name of any candidate for NDC. In other words, we have no issue with him,” the official said.

Checks on INEC’s updated list released on Saturday showed that the NDC governorship and deputy governorship slots for Kano were marked “Court Order.”

The development had sparked confusion, as the commission had earlier been reported to have restored Gwarzo after reviewing petitions over omitted candidates.

On Thursday, INEC considered complaints arising from its October 10 list and upheld 66 petitions, while rejecting 64 others relating to governorship and state Assembly candidates.

Former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof Isa Pantami, was among those whose names were restored, and he now appears as the PDP governorship candidate in Gombe State.