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 general 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, seeking a review of his exclusion from the final list of candidates.
A source at INEC disclosed the decisions to *Daily Trust* after the commission’s meeting on Thursday, October 29, 2026, adding that the electoral body received 69 petitions from political parties over the omission of candidates for governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections.
According to the source, about 36 of the petitions were successful, while the remaining applications were unsuccessful. The commission was, however, awaiting final figures from its legal department, which was preparing an official statement on the outcome of the review.
On Pantami’s candidacy in Gombe State, the source confirmed that INEC had cleared the former minister, although the ongoing legal proceedings could affect the final outcome.
The source also confirmed Gwarzo’s clearance but stressed that it remained subject to the court’s final decision on the dispute over 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.
Gwarzo had approached the court to challenge the exclusion of his name and that of his running mate, Rabiu Mustapha, from INEC’s 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 the commission to recognise them as the NDC’s governorship candidates.
Pantami’s candidacy has also been the subject of litigation, with the INEC source indicating that a court proceeding was expected on Friday.
In contrast, Adebutu’s petition was unsuccessful, with the source confirming that the commission had declined his request for a review of his exclusion from the Ogun State governorship race.
The PDP candidate had questioned his omission from the final list of candidates, insisting that he remained a registered member of the party and had complied with its membership registration requirements.
The disputes followed INEC’s publication of the lists of candidates ahead of the 2027 general elections, which left out several prominent politicians, including Pantami and Gwarzo.
The commission had attributed the omissions to alleged non-compliance with provisions of the Electoral Act, 2026, particularly the requirement for political parties to submit their membership registers.
INEC said its position was informed by the Supreme Court judgment of September 24, 2026, which affirmed the constitutionality of Section 77(5) to (7) of the Electoral Act. The provisions make the submission of party membership registers mandatory.
The latest decisions followed complaints by affected candidates and political parties seeking a review of their exclusion from the published lists.
