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.
According to the commission, this is subject to the outcomes 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 list of candidates.
A source at INEC, who spoke to Daily Trust after the commission’s meeting on Thursday, said the commission received 69 petitions from political parties concerning omitted candidates for governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections.
The source said about 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 source, however, 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, the 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.
Pantami and Gwarzo are among the prominent governorship candidates whose names were missing from the commission’s list released in October.
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.
Gwarzo had approached the court to challenge the omission and that of his running mate, Rabiu Mustapha, from the list of governorship candidates for Kano State.
In an originating summons dated October 20, 2026, he asked the court to declare their exclusion unlawful and compel INEC to recognise them as the NDC’s governorship candidates.
Pantami’s candidacy has also been the subject of litigation, with the INEC source noting that a court proceeding was expected on Friday.
Meanwhile, 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.
INEC is expected to issue a formal statement on the outcome of the review.
(Daily Trust)
