The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC has reversed its earlier exclusion of former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Ali Pantami and Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC’s Governorship candidate in Kano, Abdulsalam Gwarzo, clearing both to contest the 2027 Governorship elections, subject to the outcome of pending court cases.
INEC however, rejected a petition by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP Governorship candidate in Ogun State, Ladi Adebutu, seeking a review of his exclusion from the final list of candidates.
The development follows INEC’s review of complaints arising from the final lists of Governorship and State Houses of Assembly candidates published on October 10, 2026.
In a statement issued late Thursday by INEC’s Chairman of Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Haruna, the commission says the complaints covered omitted political parties, candidates whose names were allegedly wrongly excluded, candidates whose names appeared on lists despite not being in their parties’ membership registers, and cases of alleged multiple nominations.
INEC says it found merit in some of the complaints and consequently approved the inclusion of affected candidates and political parties. It also declines petitions that failed to meet the applicable legal requirements.
According to INEC, 69 Governorship petitions were received from 12 political parties across 26 states.
Forty-one were successful, while 28 failed. For the State Houses of Assembly elections, the commission received another 61 petitions from 11 political parties across 11 states. Twenty-five succeeded while 36 were rejected.
This brought the total number of petitions considered by the commission to 130, with 66 succeeding and 64 failing.
Pantami, will now contest the Gombe Governorship election on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). His exclusion had generated controversy after he emerged from a court-ordered rerun of the party’s Governorship primary on September 29.
Pantami’s legal team subsequently challenged his omission and demanded that INEC restore his name to the list.
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Gwarzo will contest in the ticket of Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC). However, his clearance remains subject to the final determination of a pending court case challenging his exclusion. Gwarzo had approached the court after INEC omitted his name and that of his running mate from the final list. His case therefore remains capable of affecting his eligibility despite Thursday’s decision by INEC.
Adebutu, however, fails to secure a similar reversal as his petition seeking the restoration of his name as the PDP governorship candidate in Ogun State was rejected by the Electoral Umpire.
INEC had earlier said the disputed exclusions were linked to provisions of the Electoral Act 2026 concerning the submission of political party membership registers.
The issue became particularly contentious following a September 24, 2026 Supreme Court judgment affirming the constitutionality of provisions requiring Political Parties to submit their membership registers to INEC.
INEC further approved the removal of candidates whose nominations were found to be inconsistent with applicable legal requirements. It says the decisions affecting State Houses of Assembly candidates sponsored by political parties were based on specific complaints and determined according to the law and its established criteria.
The 2027 Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections are scheduled to hold on February 6, 2027.
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Editor: Anoyoyo Ogiagboviogie
