THE state government has made it mandatory for all contestants seeking election into any position to undergo a mandatory drug test.
This comes ahead of the All Progressive Congress (APC) state congress scheduled for October 16,
Commissioner for Information, Malam Muhammad Garba, who disclosed this in a statement, today, said all contestants are to visit the state office of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) by 7:am, starting from tomorrow (Tuesday, October 12 to the day of the closing of the screening exercise for the test.
Malam Garba, who said the decision was part of government policy to rid Kano of illicit substances, warned that no contestant would be screened without undergoing the mandatory drug test.
He said similar tests were carried out for contestants into local government elections as well as political appointees including members of the state executive council before offering them portfolios.
Malam Garba revealed that already, Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje has mandated the state office of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for the conduct of the tests.
The commissioner, who reaffirmed the Ganduje administration’s commitment to riddle drug abuse among political leaders, disclosed that government would not hesitate to issue necessary disciplinary measures against anyone found with a trace of illicit substance including a compulsory recommendation for rehabilitation.
He pointed out that during the conduct of similar tests on contestants for the local government election, no fewer than 13 councillorship candidates were disqualified and replaced based on a report by the NDLEA after they tested positive for drugs.
