Kano Drug Test For LG Election Aspirants: We Are Yet To Release Official Results – NDLEA

By Suleiman Anyalewechi

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency,  NDLEA, has  dismissed reports suggesting that 20 Chairmanship aspirants for the forthcoming Kano Local Council polls  tested positive for hard substances.

The Source reports that the Kano State Independent Electoral Commission KANSIEC, had insisted on mandatory hard drug test for all aspirants to the Chairmanship and Councilorship positions  in the  October 26,2024 Local Government election.

Chairman of the Electoral Commission, Professor Sani Malumfashi, said that the policy is to ensure that those going to man the affairs of the Third Tier of Government are mentally and physically stable.

On Tuesday, about 20 Chairmanship aspirants were reported to have failed the drug test conducted by the NDLEA.

But in a statement on Wednesday, September ,11, Sadiq Maigatari, Spokesperson for the Kano zonal office of the drug Agency, maintained that the report was quoted out of context.

He noted that much as there are about 20 persons who actually failed the drug test, they are nevertheless not limited to the Chairmanship position.

“Contrary to reports ,the NDLEA  did not state that 20 Chairmanship aspirants tested positive for drugs”

“It is important to note that aspirants are presenting themselves for the drug integrity test on individual basis,without indicating the position they are aspiring to (Chairmanship or Councilorship) or political party they belong.

“To this extent ,the NDLEA cannot explicitly determine who is contesting for Chairmanship or Councilorship positions.

“We, therefore, urge the public to await the official release of the test results at the end of the screening exercise as the NDLEA is committed to transparency and accuracy in the electoral process”, part of the statement reads .

The KANSIEC has said that any aspirants who fail the drug test will be disqualified from the Electoral Contest proper.