The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has published its final list of candidates for the February 6, 2027 governorship elections, leaving out the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidates in Gombe and Ogun states and the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) candidate in Kano State.
The missing candidates are Ali Pantami (PDP, Gombe), Ladi Adebutu (PDP, Ogun) and Aminu Gwarzo (NDC, Kano).
The lists, signed by INEC Secretary Rose Oriaran-Anthony and posted on the commission’s website, showed 16 candidates from other parties in Gombe and 13 in Ogun. None of them was from the PDP.
In Rivers State, however, INEC cleared the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Kingsley Chinda, who appears fifth on a 19-man list.
No official reason given
INEC did not state why the three names were dropped. The decision is believed to be linked to the Supreme Court’s ruling in INEC v. Zenith Labour Party, which upheld Section 77 of the Electoral Act 2026.
The September 24 judgment restored Sections 77(5), (6), (7) and 84(2) of the Act. These provisions bar parties from fielding candidates whose names were not in the membership register submitted to INEC within the stipulated time.
INEC National Commissioner Mohammed Haruna had earlier hinted that, in line with the ruling, some parties would not field candidates in 2027.
Under Section 32(2) of the Act, parties have 14 days to notify INEC in writing, with an affidavit, if a nominated candidate’s name is missing.
The commission released the list in keeping with a promise by its Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, at a press conference in Abuja last week.
Pantami: Gombe
Pantami was on the provisional list published on August 29. He emerged as the PDP candidate after leaving the APC on May 19.
Rival aspirant Ahmed Mailantarki challenged his victory in court. A Federal High Court in Gombe nullified the primary and ordered a fresh one, which Pantami won again on September 29, defeating Khamisu Mailantarki and Usman Aliyu Garry.
Reacting on his social media handles, Pantami described the omission as a temporary challenge in the electoral process. In a statement signed by Professor Suleiman Mohammed Gombe, his camp said its legal and liaison teams were working with relevant organs of the PDP and INEC to comply with the court order and correct the omission within the period allowed by law.
The camp urged supporters of the PDP and the Pantamiyya Movement to remain calm, insisting the omission was not a final determination.
Adebutu: Ogun
Neither Adebutu nor his running mate, Kolapo-Sowunmi, appeared on the Ogun list, raising questions about the status of the PDP ticket. There is speculation that his name was not in the party register submitted to INEC.
The Ogun PDP Publicity Secretary, Kayode Adebayo, urged residents to stay calm, saying the party was confident Adebutu’s name would be published and that he would win the election. He blamed the omission on “undue pressure” by the ruling party on INEC, which he said fears losing.
Adebayo said Adebutu, who has never left the PDP, was duly registered within the digital registration period, with his membership card printed, verified and submitted to INEC on time.
Gwarzo: Kano
Gwarzo’s removal means he cannot contest on the NDC platform unless the omission is corrected.
Kano NDC Chairman Hussaini Mairiga dismissed any change to the ticket, saying the joint ticket of Gwarzo and his running mate, Mustapha Rabiu Kwankwaso, was processed and submitted to INEC within all guidelines and deadlines.
“Gwarzo’s name was submitted to INEC, and he and his running mate, Mustapha Rabiu Kwankwaso, are the authentic flag bearers of the party,” Mairiga said in a telephone interview.
He attributed the omission to a possible administrative error or miscommunication. “I believe there is a mix-up somewhere, and I do not think the list is from the commission, since we are sure that the name we submitted is what stands,” he added.
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