The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has revealed that 20 candidates running in the upcoming Kano State local government elections have tested positive for multiple drugs. This revelation has sparked concerns over the integrity of the election process.
Abubakar Ahmad, the NDLEA commander in Kano, confirmed that the aspirants, all from the ruling New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), tested positive for substances including opioids like codeine, THC (the active ingredient in cannabis), benzodiazepines, and nicotine.
“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 said in a statement to Daily Trust.
While nicotine was detected in many candidates, Ahmad added, “It is left for the electoral commission to decide if tobacco is a drug or not because it is something you find even in kola nut.”
The ongoing drug tests are part of the NNPP’s candidate screening process before the list is submitted to the Kano State Independent Electoral Commission (KANSIEC) for verification. The local government elections, set for October 26, will fill 44 chairmanship and 484 councillorship seats across Kano’s local government areas.
The NDLEA crackdown follows the state’s 2018 policy requiring drug tests for political appointees, civil servants, and students seeking admission to tertiary institutions.
No female candidates have tested positive for drugs so far, according to Ahmad.
The Kano State Independent Electoral Commission had earlier pledged to conduct mandatory drug tests for all candidates to ensure the credibility of the election process.
