The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has announced that it will not award its Kano State governorship ticket to the winner of its primary election, Ibrahim Khalil, citing concerns over his loyalty to the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar. Naja’atu Muhammad, the ADC’s Deputy National Chairman (North-West), made this known during a broadcast on Freedom Radio on Tuesday.
Primary Election Results and Consensus Arrangement
The Kano State ADC leadership, led by Musa Ungogo, had earlier declared Mr Khalil the winner of the primary election after he defeated Ibrahim Ali-Amin on 22 May. Mr Khalil secured a landslide victory with 55,851 votes against Mr Ali-Amin’s 4,000. However, Ms Muhammad explained that the party opted for a consensus arrangement following allegations of irregularities in the primary process. She noted that both aspirants had signed an agreement to accept the outcome of the consensus arrangement.
Evaluation by Consensus Committee
A committee chaired by Ben Obi, with Ms Muhammad as secretary, evaluated the candidates based on their political viability, philosophy, and public acceptance. Ms Muhammad alleged that Mr Khalil is a secret supporter of President Bola Tinubu, insisting he had praised Mr Tinubu in 2023 and 2025 as the ideal candidate for the presidency. “You can search it online,” Ms Muhammad said. “Ibrahim Khalil has supported Bola Tinubu 100 per cent. Why should we give our ticket to him?”
Security Concerns and Party Decision
Ms Muhammad cited the ongoing insecurity across Northern Nigeria as a primary reason the region should not support President Tinubu’s re-election bid. Dismissing claims that she was solely responsible for the party’s refusal to recognise Mr Khalil, she clarified that she was merely the secretary of the seven-member consensus committee responsible for the decision. While the party’s national leadership has yet to formally announce its flagbearer, Ms Muhammad’s remarks indicate that the party intends to bypass the primary winner in favour of another candidate.
