At least 20 aspirants seeking elective offices in the forthcoming local government elections in Kano State have tested positive for multiple drugs.
The commander of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in Kano State, Abubakar Idris Ahmad, disclosed this to Daily Trust on Tuesday, September 2024.
He said some of the aspirants tested positive for drugs opioid (codeine), THC (Tetrahydro cannabis, an active ingredient for cannabis sativa), benzodiazenpines and nicotine.
“So far 20 aspirants presented to us by the ruling party (NNPP) in the state have tested positive for multiple drug tests and the exercise is ongoing,” Ahmad said.
“Many of them tested positive for Nicotine as far as our test is concerned but it is left for the electoral commission to decide if tobacco is drug or not because it is something you find even in kola nuts.”
He however said so far no female aspirant tested positive so far.
He explained that only NNPP had so far presented its aspirants for the drug screening ahead of submission of its candidates’ list to the Kano State Independent Electoral Commission (KANSIEC) which would finally conduct verification for all candidates.
The commission has fixed October 26 to conduct local government elections into 44 chairmanship and 484 councillorship positions by the 18 registered political parties.