2027 Elections: 449 Candidates to Contest 40 Kano Assembly Seats, Only 13 Women

A total of 449 candidates, including the Speaker of the Kano State House of Assembly, Ismail Falgore-Jibril, will contest the 40 seats in the assembly during the 2027 general elections.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Falgore-Jibril, who represents Rogo Constituency, is seeking re-election on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) published the final list of candidates at its office in Kano on Monday. The list was signed by the commission’s Secretary, Rose Oriaran-Anthony.

According to NAN, the 449 candidates are drawn from 19 political parties competing for seats in the state legislature.

The parties include Accord, Action Alliance, African Action Congress, African Democratic Congress, Action Democratic Party, APC, All Progressives Grand Alliance, Allied Peoples Movement, Action Peoples Party, Democratic Leadership Alliance, Labour Party and National Democratic Congress.

Others are the New Nigeria Peoples Party, National Rescue Movement, Peoples Democratic Party, Peoples Redemption Party, Social Democratic Party, Young Progressives Party and Zenith Labour Party.

NAN observed that only 13 of the 449 candidates are women, while the remaining 436 are men. The figures mean women account for approximately 2.9 per cent of all candidates listed for the election.

The female candidates are contesting in constituencies including Bebeji, Gwale, Kano Municipal, Karaye, Kiru, Kumbotso, Minjibir, Fagge, Sumaila, Tsanyawa/Kunchi, Ungogo and Warawa.

Among them, Abasiyya Yahaya is contesting under Party A in Bebeji, while Khadija Lawan-Ahmed is the African Action Congress candidate in Gwale. Saudat Ibrahim is contesting under the Allied Peoples Movement in Kano Municipal.

Sha’awanatu Yusuf is listed under Party A in Karaye, while Zainab Umar is representing Action Alliance in Kumbotso. Karimatu Yahaya is also contesting under Party A in Minjibir, while Talatu Ishaya is the Allied Peoples Movement candidate in Fagge.

Other female candidates include Hasina Muhammad of Party A in Sumaila, Aisha Lawan of the APC in Tsanyawa/Kunchi and Na’ima Yahaya of the African Democratic Congress in Ungogo. Ramlatu Yahaya of the Peoples Democratic Party and Aishatu Adamu-Garba of the Peoples Redemption Party are also contesting in Ungogo, while Amina Yahaya of Party A is listed for Warawa.

The INEC list contains candidates’ names, political parties, ages, genders and educational qualifications, providing details of those seeking election into the Kano State House of Assembly in 2027.

The low number of female candidates stands out in the final list, with women accounting for just 13 of the 449 aspirants seeking legislative seats in the state.