INEC clears Pantami, Gwarzo for 2027 polls, rejects Adebutu’s petition

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has cleared former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof. Isa Ali Pantami, and the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) governorship candidate in Kano State, Abdulsalam Gwarzo, to contest the 2027 elections, subject to the outcome of pending 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.

An INEC source disclosed the decisions to Daily Trust on Thursday after the commission met to consider complaints from political parties over the omission of their candidates from the lists published ahead of the elections.

According to the source, the commission received 69 petitions relating to governorship and State Houses of Assembly candidates, with about 36 successful. The remaining petitions 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 was compiling the final figures ahead of a formal statement on the outcome of the review.

On Pantami’s candidacy in Gombe State, the source confirmed that the former minister had been cleared but stressed that pending litigation could affect his eventual eligibility.

“Yes, Pantami has been cleared,” the official said.

Gwarzo also received the commission’s approval, although the decision remains subject to the outcome of a court case challenging his exclusion from the list of governorship candidates in Kano State.

The NDC candidate had approached the court to challenge the omission of his name and that of his running mate, Rabiu Mustapha, seeking an order compelling INEC to recognise them as the party’s candidates.

In an originating summons dated October 20, 2026, Gwarzo asked the court to declare their exclusion unlawful.

The INEC source said the commission would abide by the court’s final decision.

“Because of the court case, the court may rule otherwise. So his approval is subject to whatever the court finally decides,” the source said.

Pantami’s candidacy is also being contested in court, with a court proceeding in the matter expected on Friday.

Meanwhile, Adebutu’s petition seeking reinstatement on the Ogun State governorship candidates’ list was unsuccessful.

“He did not succeed,” the source said when asked about the PDP candidate’s request.

Adebutu had challenged his exclusion, maintaining that he remained a registered PDP member and had complied with the party’s membership registration requirements.

Why the candidates’ status became uncertain

The controversy followed INEC’s publication of its governorship candidates’ list on October 10, which excluded several prominent politicians, including Pantami, Adebutu and Gwarzo.

The commission attributed the omissions to alleged non-compliance by the affected political parties with provisions of the Electoral Act, 2026, particularly the requirement to submit membership registers within the stipulated period.

INEC said its position followed a September 24, 2026, Supreme Court judgment in the case involving the commission and the Zenith Labour Party. The apex court upheld the constitutionality of Sections 77(5) to 77(7) of the Electoral Act, which govern the submission and use of party membership registers for primaries, congresses and conventions.

The provisions require political parties to submit their membership registers to INEC within the prescribed period, with non-compliance potentially affecting their eligibility to sponsor candidates.

Following the publication of the candidates’ particulars, INEC gave aggrieved parties and candidates a 14-day window to notify it of alleged wrongful omissions. The deadline expired on October 24, prompting the commission to review the petitions.

Pantami, who emerged as the PDP’s governorship candidate in Gombe State after a court-ordered rerun of the party’s primary, and Adebutu, the PDP candidate in Ogun State, were among those affected by the omissions.

The commission’s latest decisions have therefore altered the immediate status of some of the affected candidates, although the pending court cases mean that Pantami’s and Gwarzo’s positions are not yet beyond legal challenge.

INEC is expected to issue a formal statement detailing the outcome of its review and the final number of successful petitions.