INEC Clears Isa Pantami and Abdulsalam Gwarzo for 2027 Elections, Rejects Adebutu’s Petition
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has cleared former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, 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.
The commission, however, rejected a petition by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in Ogun State, Ladi Adebutu, who sought a review of his exclusion from the published list of candidates.
An INEC source, who spoke to Daily Trust after the commission’s meeting on Thursday, said 69 petitions were received from political parties over omitted governorship and State Houses of Assembly candidates, with about 36 successful.
“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 said the commission was awaiting final figures from its legal department, which was preparing a formal statement on the decisions.
On Pantami, the PDP governorship candidate in Gombe State, the source confirmed that the commission had cleared him. “Yes, Pantami has been cleared,” the official said.
Gwarzo’s clearance also remains subject to the outcome of litigation concerning 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 said. But we have no issues with their contesting as candidates.”
Adebutu’s request for reconsideration was unsuccessful, with the official stating: “He did not succeed.”
The decisions followed complaints from political parties and candidates whose names were omitted from INEC’s lists published ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Pantami and Gwarzo were among the prominent governorship candidates missing from the commission’s October list.
INEC had attributed the omissions to alleged non-compliance with provisions of the Electoral Act, 2026, requiring political parties to submit their membership registers.
The commission said its position followed a September 24, 2026, Supreme Court judgment affirming the constitutionality of Section 77(5) to (7) of the Electoral Act, which makes the submission of party membership registers mandatory.
Gwarzo subsequently approached the court to challenge the exclusion of himself and his running mate, Rabiu Mustapha, from the Kano State governorship candidates’ list.
In an originating summons dated October 20, 2026, he asked the court to declare their omission unlawful and compel INEC to recognise them as the NDC’s candidates.
Pantami’s candidacy has also been the subject of litigation, with the INEC source saying a court proceeding was expected on Friday.
Adebutu had challenged his exclusion from the final list of governorship candidates in Ogun State, maintaining that he remained a registered PDP member and had complied with the party’s membership registration requirements.
INEC is expected to release a formal statement detailing the outcome of its review.
