The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has approved the candidacies of former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, and Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) governorship candidate in Kano State, Abdulsalam Gwarzo, for the 2027 general elections, subject to the outcome of ongoing court cases.
However, the commission 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.
Key Highlights
- INEC clears Isa Pantami and Kano NDC candidate Abdulsalam Gwarzo for 2027 polls, subject to court rulings.
- Ogun PDP governorship candidate Ladi Adebutu’s petition rejected.
- Commission received 69 petitions; about 36 were successful.
- Omissions were linked to party membership register rules under the Electoral Act 2026.
- INEC to issue a formal statement on the outcome of the review.
An INEC source disclosed the decisions following the commission’s meeting on Thursday, October 29, during which it reviewed petitions submitted by political parties over the omission of candidates for governorship and state Houses of Assembly elections.
According to the source, the commission received 69 petitions, with approximately 36 successful, while the remaining requests were unsuccessful.
“We received a total of 69 petitions from political parties. Some of them were successful, I think about 36, and the rest didn’t succeed,” the source said.
The official added that INEC’s legal department is still compiling the final figures ahead of an official statement detailing the outcome of the review.
Pantami, Gwarzo Cleared Pending Court Rulings
On Pantami’s candidacy, the source confirmed that the commission had cleared him, although the pending legal proceedings could still affect the final determination of his eligibility.
Gwarzo was also cleared to contest, but his approval remains subject to the final judgment of the court handling the dispute over his candidacy.
“Because of the court case, the court may rule otherwise. So his approval is subject to whatever the court finally decides,” the source explained.
The commission maintained that it had no objection to either candidate participating in the election, pending the resolution of the legal issues.
Meanwhile, Adebutu’s request for reconsideration was unsuccessful. “He did not succeed,” the INEC source said when asked about the Ogun State PDP governorship candidate.
Why The Candidates Were Omitted
The latest decisions followed complaints from candidates and political parties whose names were missing from INEC’s published list ahead of the 2027 elections.
Pantami and Gwarzo were among the prominent governorship aspirants whose names were absent from the list released in October.
INEC had linked the omissions to alleged violations of the Electoral Act 2026, particularly the requirement for political parties to submit their membership registers.
The commission’s position followed a Supreme Court judgment delivered on September 24, 2026, which affirmed the constitutionality of Section 77(5) to (7) of the Electoral Act concerning the mandatory submission of party membership registers.
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Gwarzo subsequently approached the court to challenge the exclusion of himself and his running mate, Rabiu Mustapha, from the list of governorship candidates for Kano State.
In an originating summons dated October 20, 2026, he asked the court to declare their exclusion unlawful and direct INEC to recognise them as the NDC’s governorship candidates.
Pantami’s candidacy has also been the subject of litigation, with the INEC source indicating that a court proceeding was expected on Friday.
Adebutu, on his part, had challenged his exclusion from the final list of governorship candidates in Ogun State, maintaining that he remained a registered PDP member and had fulfilled the party’s membership registration requirements.
INEC is expected to issue a formal statement outlining the outcome of its review of the petitions.
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