The presidential candidate of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), Rabiu Kwankwaso has cast his vote at a polling unit in the Kwankwaso town of the Madobi Local Government Area of Kano State.

Addressing reporters after voting, Kwankwaso said accreditation and voting didn’t start in the polling unit till 11 am as against 08:30am. He, therefore, appealed to the Independent National Electoral Commission to be a “little bit patient” for his supporters to vote.

The NNPP candidate is one of the leading candidates in the race for Aso Rock. Kwankwaso’s major contenders include Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP).

Kwankwaso, 66, is a former governor of Kano State, and an ex-Minister of Defence. He commands a “cut-like following” in North-West Nigeria with his socio-political movement, Kwankwasiyya movement with strong presence in Kano and other states.

Pre-election polls have positioned Kwankwaso as one of the top four contenders in Niger’a’s 2023 presidential poll. The ex-governor, known for his red cap, is running alongside a southerner, Isaac Idahosa.