KANO: The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kano State has replaced its earlier governorship candidate, Muhammad Bello Dalha, with Muhammad Sani Abacha, son of former military Head of State General Sani Abacha, ahead of the 2027 governorship election.
Abacha was affirmed as the party’s candidate during an expanded meeting of the Kano State PDP executive committee after Dalha voluntarily withdrew from the race following consultations with party stakeholders in Kano and Abuja.
The party subsequently conducted a replacement primary, with the electoral panel declaring Abacha the winner after confirming that he met the requirements for nomination under the party’s guidelines and applicable electoral regulations.
Kano PDP Chairman, Dr Bello Gambo Bichi, said the replacement process became necessary after Dalha, who had previously won the party’s governorship primary, withdrew from the contest.
Bichi explained that the withdrawal created the need for another process to nominate a replacement candidate.
He said the party had therefore affirmed Abacha as its new governorship candidate after consultations among stakeholders.
The chairman of the replacement electoral panel, Dr Abba Abdullahi, formally declared Abacha the winner and said the exercise complied with the PDP’s constitution, guidelines and relevant electoral regulations.
The Kano PDP also announced Alhaji Yusuf Ado Kibiya as Abacha’s running mate.
Kibiya is a former factional chairman of the PDP in Kano and former Commissioner for Land and Agriculture.
According to the party leadership, the decision followed reconciliation efforts involving different groups within the Kano PDP.
Bichi said the deputy governorship slot was allocated to the group associated with Kabiru Tanimu Turaki as part of the reconciliation arrangement.
The party also replaced some of its National Assembly and State House of Assembly candidates as part of the process. Representatives of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) were reportedly present during the exercise.
The latest development marks another appearance by Muhammad Sani Abacha in Kano’s governorship contest.
Reports indicate that Abacha had previously sought the PDP ticket earlier in 2026 but lost the party primary to Dalha before Dalha later withdrew from the race. Leadership reported that Dalha secured 2,233 votes against Abacha’s 749 in the earlier contest.
Abacha is the son of the late General Sani Abacha, who served as Nigeria’s military Head of State from 1993 until his death in 1998.
His return to the PDP ticket places him at the centre of the party’s preparations for the 2027 Kano governorship election.
The replacement of the governorship candidate was accompanied by changes aimed at addressing internal divisions within the Kano PDP.
The party leadership said consultations and reconciliation among different factions preceded the latest arrangement, including the selection of Kibiya as running mate.
The PDP is now expected to proceed with its preparations for the 2027 election with Abacha as its governorship candidate, subject to the applicable electoral process.
