Mustapha Rabiu Kwankwaso, the eldest son of former Kano State governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has been unveiled as the deputy governorship candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) ahead of the 2027 elections in Kano State.
The announcement was confirmed on Monday by the spokesperson of the Kwankwasiyya Movement, Habibu Mohammad.
Mustapha will contest alongside Comrade Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo, a close ally of Kwankwaso and the party’s governorship candidate. Their emergence comes as the Kwankwasiyya Movement positions itself to challenge the ruling APC in the state.
Before his nomination, Mustapha served as Kano State Commissioner for Youth and Sports under Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf. He later resigned alongside three other commissioners following political realignments that eventually saw Yusuf join the APC.
Gwarzo, a former deputy governor, also stepped down from his position amid growing political tensions and impeachment threats from the Kano State House of Assembly. Although he cited personal reasons for his resignation, allegations of financial misconduct raised by lawmakers remain unresolved.
The Kwankwasiyya Movement has vowed to reclaim political control of Kano State from the APC in the next election cycle, following the defection of Governor Yusuf to the ruling party.