By Beatrice Gondyi
Muhammad Sani Abacha, son of late dictator and former military Head of State, General Sani Abacha, has staged a political comeback after clinching the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship ticket in Kano State ahead of the 2027 election.
Abacha was affirmed as the party’s governorship candidate on Wednesday during an expanded meeting of the PDP state executive committee in Kano, where an affirmation and replacement primary were conducted.
His emergence followed the withdrawal of the earlier candidate, Muhammad Bello Dalha, from the race.
The replacement became necessary after Dalha, who had won the earlier primary, decided to step down following consultations among party stakeholders in Kano and Abuja.
PDP state chairman, Bello Gambo Bichi, said the process complied with the party’s constitution and electoral requirements.
“Last time we did a primary election in which Muhammad Bello Dalha was declared winner. But following consultations among stakeholders in Kano and Abuja, the candidate decided to withdraw,” Bichi said.
“The law says that as a result of withdrawal, a replacement primary must be held. That is what brought us here today. We have affirmed Muhammad Sani Abacha as the gubernatorial candidate of our great party in Kano State.”
The replacement primary was subsequently conducted, with the panel chairman, Abba Abdullahi, declaring Abacha the winner.
Abdullahi said the exercise was conducted in accordance with the party’s guidelines and electoral regulations, adding that Abacha met all the requirements for nomination.
In a move aimed at resolving the party’s internal divisions, the PDP also announced changes to its deputy governorship ticket.
Bichi disclosed that the deputy governorship slot had been allocated to the faction associated with Kabiru Tanimu Turaki.
Yusuf Ado Kibiya, a former factional chairman of the party and former commissioner for land and agriculture, was consequently named as the new deputy governorship candidate.
“After wide consultation and reconciliation, we agreed to give the deputy governorship slot to the Turaki faction here in Kano. With this, there is no more faction in Kano PDP. We have reconciled,” Bichi said.
He added that representatives of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) witnessed the exercise.
The chairman further disclosed that the party had replaced some of its National Assembly and State Assembly candidates as part of the reconciliation process.
He said the changes were intended to accommodate members of the different factions and strengthen cohesion within the party ahead of the election.
Abacha previously contested the Kano governorship election in 2023, when he finished third behind the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate in an election won by the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) candidate.
He has also previously represented the PDP in governorship contests in Kano.
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