2027 Elections: INEC’s Candidate List Excludes Adebutu, Pantami, Gwarzo as Parties Demand Answers

The exclusion of prominent political figures from the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) final list of candidates for the 2027 elections has stirred controversy, with affected political parties demanding clarification and former senator Shehu Sani urging the politicians involved to reconsider further legal battles.

Among those reportedly missing from the published list are Ladi Adebutu of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun State, former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy Isa Ali Pantami of the PDP in Gombe State, and Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) in Kano State. Their absence has raised questions about candidate nomination procedures, compliance with electoral requirements and the implications for their parties’ electoral ambitions.

The PDP has said it is engaging INEC to resolve the issue surrounding the omission of its candidates. The party’s efforts come amid growing concern among its supporters over the implications of the development for its participation in the forthcoming governorship elections. However, the precise reasons for the individual omissions have not been fully established in the commission’s published candidate lists.

Pantami’s exclusion has attracted particular attention in Gombe State, where he emerged as the PDP’s governorship candidate following a fresh primary election reportedly conducted on September 29, 2026. The exercise followed a Federal High Court ruling that nullified his earlier nomination and directed the party to conduct another primary over procedural irregularities. Despite his emergence from the rerun, his name was reportedly absent from INEC’s final list.

In Ogun State, Adebutu’s omission has generated further debate over compliance with the statutory requirements governing political party membership registers and candidate nominations. Questions have been raised about whether the necessary membership records were submitted in accordance with electoral law. The circumstances surrounding his exclusion remain a subject of political dispute, with the PDP maintaining that it is seeking a resolution through engagement with the electoral commission.

The controversy has also spread to Kano State, where Gwarzo, the NDC’s governorship candidate, was reportedly omitted alongside his running mate, Mustapha Rabiu Kwankwaso. The NDC and the Kwankwasiyya Movement have questioned the development, insisting that Gwarzo’s candidacy was duly processed. They have called for clarification over the absence of their candidates from the published list.

The dispute comes against the background of a Supreme Court ruling on provisions of the Electoral Act 2026 relating to political party membership registers and participation in primary elections. The judgment, delivered on September 24, 2026, reportedly affirmed the constitutionality of relevant provisions governing the submission of party membership registers and eligibility to participate in party primaries.

The applicable legal framework places obligations on political parties to comply with statutory requirements governing membership registers and candidate selection. Such provisions are intended to strengthen transparency and accountability in internal party processes. However, the existence of these requirements does not, by itself, establish the specific reason for each candidate’s omission; the circumstances of each case must be assessed against the relevant documents, court decisions and INEC’s official position.

Reacting to the controversy, former Kaduna Central senator Shehu Sani advised the affected politicians against pursuing further litigation, arguing that continued legal battles could consume time and financial resources without producing a favourable outcome. His intervention has added to the debate over whether the candidates should continue seeking legal remedies or reconsider their political strategies in light of the Supreme Court’s position.

As the 2027 election cycle gathers momentum, the controversy highlights the importance of compliance with electoral laws, accurate party membership records and transparent nomination procedures. For the PDP, the NDC and their affected candidates, the immediate priority remains obtaining clear explanations for the omissions and determining whether any lawful remedies are available. The outcome could have significant implications for the parties’ preparations and the wider political contest ahead of the elections.