The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has cleared former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Ali Pantami, and Kano State governorship candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Abdulsalam Gwarzo, to contest the 2027 elections. The clearance is subject to the outcome of pending court cases.
However, the commission turned down a petition by the Ogun State governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ladi Adebutu, who had asked for a review of his exclusion from the published list of candidates.
An INEC source who spoke to Daily Trust after the commission’s Thursday meeting said it received 69 petitions from political parties over omitted governorship and State House of Assembly candidates. About 36 were 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 added that the commission was waiting for final figures from its legal department, which is preparing a formal statement on the decisions.
Confirming Pantami’s clearance, the source said: “Yes, Pantami has been cleared.” Pantami is the PDP governorship candidate in Gombe State.
On Gwarzo, the source said his approval depends on the outcome of the litigation over his candidacy. “Because of the court case, the court may rule otherwise. So his approval is subject to whatever the court finally decides. But we have no issues with their contesting as candidates,” the source said.
Adebutu’s request was not granted. “He did not succeed,” the official said.
The decisions followed complaints from parties and candidates whose names were missing from the lists INEC published ahead of the 2027 general elections. Pantami and Gwarzo were among the prominent governorship candidates absent from the commission’s October list.
INEC had blamed the omissions on alleged failure to comply with the Electoral Act, 2026, which requires political parties to submit their membership registers. It said its position followed a September 24, 2026 Supreme Court judgment upholding the constitutionality of Section 77(5) to (7) of the Act, which makes submission of membership registers mandatory.
Gwarzo later went to court to challenge the exclusion of himself and his running mate, Rabiu Mustapha, from the Kano State governorship list. In an originating summons dated October 20, 2026, he asked the court to declare their omission unlawful and order INEC to recognise them as the NDC’s candidates.
Pantami’s candidacy is also the subject of litigation, and the INEC source said a court proceeding was expected on Friday.
Adebutu had challenged his exclusion from the final list of governorship candidates in Ogun State, insisting he remained a registered PDP member and had met the party’s membership registration requirements.
INEC is expected to release a formal statement on the outcome of its review.
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