No fewer than 20 chairmanship candidates in Kano State, have been tested positive for drugs during a screenings carried out for the upcoming local government elections, by National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA)
This is an effort to ensure candidates are fit for office and has sparked concerns about the sanity of the candidates
The Kano state NDLEA Commander, Abubakar Idris Ahmad, disclosed that the candidates, all members of the ruling New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), were found to have consumed various substances including opioids, cannabis, benzodiazepines, and nicotine.
The agency has clarified that, so far, no female aspirants have tested positive.
However, the screening is still ongoing, and more candidates are expected to undergo drug testing before the final list is submitted to the Kano State Independent Electoral Commission (KANSIEC) for verification.
“So far, 20 aspirants presented to us by the ruling party (NNPP) in the state have tested positive for multiple drugs, and the exercise is ongoing,” Ahmad stated.
Meanwhile, the tests are being carried out as part of the candidate verification process for the upcoming elections, scheduled for October 26, which will see the election of 44 chairmen and 484 councillors across the state’s local government areas.
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