“Picking Kwankwaso’s Son as Running Mate Is Politically Unwise” — Bashir Ahmad

Former presidential aide Bashir Ahmad has criticized the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) over its decision to nominate Mustapha Kwankwaso, son of Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, as the party’s governorship running mate in Kano State.

Reacting on Tuesday, Ahmad described the move as politically unwise, arguing that it could send the wrong message to voters ahead of the 2027 elections.

Mustapha is the son of Rabiu Kwankwaso, the NDC’s vice-presidential candidate, while former Deputy Governor Aminu Gwarzo is the party’s governorship candidate in Kano.

Gwarzo emerged as the NDC’s consensus candidate following a stakeholders’ meeting led by Kwankwaso earlier this year.

The former deputy governor defected to the NDC after resigning from Governor Abba Yusuf’s administration following a disagreement within the state government.

Ahmad’s remarks have sparked debate among political observers, with some questioning the optics of the nomination while others argue that Mustapha’s candidacy should be judged on merit rather than family ties.

Posting on X, Ahmad wrote: “It is politically unwise and strategically miscalculated for the NDC as a party to field a father as its vice presidential candidate while simultaneously selecting his son as its deputy governorship candidate in Kano at the same election cycle.”