The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kano State has replaced its previously nominated governorship candidate, Muhammad Bello Dalha, with Muhammad Sani Abacha ahead of the 2027 governorship election.

The development followed Dalha’s withdrawal from the race after consultations involving party stakeholders in Kano and Abuja, according to the state leadership of the PDP.

The replacement was formalised on Wednesday during an expanded meeting of the Kano State Executive Committee, where the party conducted an affirmation and replacement primary to select a new candidate.

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Muhammad Sani Abacha, son of former military Head of State Sani Abacha, was subsequently declared the winner of the replacement exercise by the chairman of the electoral panel, Abba Abdullahi.

According to the party, the process was conducted in accordance with its internal guidelines and applicable electoral requirements.

Kano PDP chairman Bello Gambo Bichi explained that the initial primary had produced Muhammad Bello Dalha as the party’s candidate. However, he said Dalha later decided to withdraw following consultations with stakeholders.

Bichi said the withdrawal made another primary necessary to produce a replacement candidate.

“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.

He added that the party subsequently affirmed Sani Abacha as its new governorship candidate for Kano State.

 Kano PDP Moves to Resolve Internal Differences

The change in the governorship ticket was accompanied by another adjustment involving the deputy governorship position as the Kano PDP leadership seeks to reconcile competing factions within the party.

Bichi disclosed that the deputy governorship slot had been allocated to the faction associated with Kabiru Tanimu Turaki as part of a wider reconciliation arrangement.

Yusuf Ado Kibiya, a former factional chairman of the PDP and former commissioner for land and agriculture, was consequently named as the new deputy governorship candidate.

The PDP chairman said the arrangement followed extensive consultations and reconciliation efforts involving members of the different groups within the Kano chapter.

“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.

The party also disclosed that changes had been made to some of its candidates for the National Assembly and State Assembly elections.

According to Bichi, the adjustments were part of efforts to accommodate members of the different factions and create a unified structure ahead of the 2027 elections.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was said to have monitored the replacement primary, while the PDP maintained that the exercise complied with relevant electoral procedures.

The latest developments represent a significant change to the PDP’s candidate structure in Kano ahead of the 2027 elections, particularly with the governorship ticket now headed by Sani Abacha.

The party’s leadership has linked the candidate changes to its broader reconciliation process, with the aim of resolving longstanding disagreements among its members and factions in the state.

With the governorship and deputy governorship tickets now adjusted, attention is expected to shift to the implementation of the new arrangement and the party’s preparations for the 2027 electoral contest.

The PDP’s Kano chapter will also have to ensure that the latest candidate substitutions and other adjustments meet the applicable requirements as the electoral process progresses.