ABUJA, Nigeria — 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, subject to the outcome of pending court cases.
However, the commission rejected a petition by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in Ogun State, Ladi Adebutu, seeking a review of his exclusion from the list of candidates.
A source at INEC disclosed this to Daily Trust after the commission’s meeting on Thursday, saying 36 out of 69 petitions submitted by political parties over the omission of candidates for governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections 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, however, explained that the commission was awaiting final figures from its legal department, which was preparing a formal statement on the decisions.
On Pantami, who is the PDP governorship candidate in Gombe State, the source confirmed that INEC had cleared him to contest.
“Yes, Pantami has been cleared,” the official said.
Similarly, Gwarzo’s candidacy received the commission’s approval, although his clearance remains subject to the outcome of ongoing litigation over his exclusion.
“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 INEC had no objection to either candidate participating in the election, pending the resolution of the legal disputes.
However, Adebutu’s appeal was unsuccessful.
“He did not succeed,” the source said when asked about the Ogun PDP governorship candidate.
The review followed complaints from candidates and political parties whose names were missing from INEC’s lists published ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Pantami and Gwarzo were among prominent governorship candidates omitted from the commission’s list released in October.
INEC had attributed the omissions to alleged violations of provisions of the Electoral Act, 2026, particularly the requirement for political parties to submit their membership registers to the commission.
The commission said its position was based on the September 24, 2026, Supreme Court judgment affirming the constitutionality of Section 77(5) to (7) of the Electoral Act, which makes the submission of party membership registers mandatory.
Gwarzo had subsequently approached the court to challenge the exclusion of himself and his running mate, Rabiu Mustapha, from the list of NDC governorship candidates in 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 party’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.
Adebutu, meanwhile, had challenged his exclusion from the final list of governorship candidates in Ogun State, maintaining that he remained a registered PDP member and had fulfilled the party’s membership registration requirements.
INEC is expected to issue a formal statement detailing the outcome of its review
