Kano gov’ship: Little Kicks as ADC stakeholders endorse Sheikh Khalil

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) Kano State Expanded Interim Leadership and other stakeholders have endorsed Sheikh Ibrahim Khalil as the 2027 governorship candidate of the party. The stakeholders also rejected what they termed as undue interference in the affairs of the state chapter by a prominent member of the party from the state, a veiled […]

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) Kano State Expanded Interim Leadership and other stakeholders have endorsed Sheikh Ibrahim Khalil as the 2027 governorship candidate of the party.
The stakeholders also rejected what they termed as undue interference in the affairs of the state chapter by a prominent member of the party from the state, a veiled reference to Najaatu Muhammed.
Addressing newsmen in Kano on Sunday, Alhaji Sulaiman Muhammad Mabo, an elder in the party, said the endorsement reflected the collective position of the party’s Expanded State Interim Leadership Team ( ESILT) which followed the governorship primary election held on May 22, 2026, in which Ibrahim Khalil emerged victorious with 55,851 votes, defeating his opponent who secured 4,000 votes.
The other aspirant for the position is Alhaji Amin Ibrahim Little.
Mabo said the outcome of the primary election represents the will of party members and should be respected by all stakeholders.
“The election was clear. There was a winner and there was a loser. Our support for Malam Ibrahim Khalil is not only based on the outcome of the primary election but also on a strategic assessment of Kano’s political realities and electoral dynamics,” he said.
Sheikh Khallil, the chairman of the state council of Ulama, was the party candidate in the 2019 and 2023 elections.
They further argued that recent constitutional amendments and decisions of the party’s National Executive Committee had rendered the office previously occupied by Naja’atu Muhammed without substantive legal authority in the matter.
Mabo maintained that any attempt to alter or disregard the outcome of the Kano governorship primary would be unconstitutional and detrimental to the party’s credibility.
On concerns over Khalil’s financial strength ahead of the election, the leaders cited Kano’s political history, noting that several former governors emerged victorious despite facing wealthier opponents.
They referenced the electoral successes of Muhammadu Abubakar Rimi in 1979, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso in 1999, and Ibrahim Shekarau in 2003 as evidence that voters often prioritise character, integrity, and leadership qualities over financial resources.
The Kano ADC leaders called on the party’s national leadership to respect the outcome of the primary election and prevent actions capable of causing internal divisions.
They warned that ignoring the mandate given to Ibrahim Khalil by party members could undermine the party’s chances in future elections.
However, an aide to Ibrahim Little, Adnan Mukhtar Tudun Wada dismissed the endorsement saying the state chairman is no longer in the position as the party will soon constitute a caretaker committee as soon as it concludes the process of addressing issues of aspirants for political offices across the country.
“ It has been brought to my attention that some so-called ADC stakeholders in Kano held a press conference where they alleged the imposition of a governorship candidate by the leadership of the party.
“ I want to state categorically that the so-called chairman of the party is no longer in that position by virtue of a Federal High Court judgment. The party will constitute a caretaker committee once it concludes the process of addressing the issue of aspirants for political offices across the country.