INEC Bars Adebutu, Passes Pantami, Gwarzo For 2027 Governorship Contest
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has given the clean bill of health to former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Ali Pantami (Gombe), and Abdulsalam Gwarzo (Kano), to contest the 2027 elections.
But the commission rejected a petition by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Governorship Candidate in Ogun State, Ladi Adebutu, who sought a review of his exclusion from the list of candidates.
Following its review meeting on Thursday, the commission said its decision was, however, subject to the outcomes of pending court cases.
Pantami is contesting the Gombe governorship election on the PDP platform.
Adebutu had questioned his exclusion from the final list of governorship candidates in Ogun State, insisting that he remained a registered member of the PDP and had complied with the party’s membership registration requirements.
Their names, alongside Aminu Gwarzo, the Kano Governorship Candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress and his Kaduna State counterpart, Danjuma Laah, among others, were omitted in the INEC list published on October 10.
INEC also excluded the governorship candidates of the Social Democratic Party, New Nigeria People’s Party, Action Alliance and Accord in Bauchi State.
The commission reportedly received 69 petitions from political parties concerning omitted candidates for governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections.
Some 36 petitions were successful, while the others failed.
“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 commission was still awaiting the final figures from its Legal Department, which was working on the statement to be issued on the decisions.
On Pantami and Gwarzo, a source said the commission had no objection to their candidacies but noted that the pending court cases could affect their eligibility.
“Yes, Pantami has been cleared,” the source said when asked about the PDP candidate in Gombe State.
On Gwarzo, the source said his clearance remained subject to the outcome of the litigation involving 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.
The official added that the commission had no issues with either candidate contesting the election, pending the resolution of the legal matters.
“But we have no issues with their contesting as candidates,” the source said.
The source confirmed that Adebutu’s petition was unsuccessful.
“He did not succeed,” the official said when asked about the Ogun State PDP Governorship Candidate.
The decisions followed complaints by candidates and political parties after INEC omitted their names from the lists published ahead of the 2027 general elections.
INEC had attributed the omissions to alleged non-compliance with provisions of the Electoral Act, 2026, requiring 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 membership registers mandatory.
