INEC Clears Pantami for 2027 Gombe Governorship Race, Rejects Adebutu, Gwarzo Petitions
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has approved the inclusion of former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Ali Pantami, in the list of candidates for the 2027 Gombe State governorship election, while rejecting petitions submitted by Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in Ogun State, Ladi Adebutu, and Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) candidate in Kano State, Abdulsalam Gwarzo.
The decisions followed the commission’s review of complaints submitted by political parties and candidates whose names were omitted from, or whose nominations were challenged in, the final lists published on October 10, 2026.
INEC Chairman of Information and Voter Education, Mohammed Haruna, confirmed Pantami’s successful petition and Adebutu’s unsuccessful appeal in comments on the outcome of the review.
Haruna said the commission had approved the Kano petition submitted by a candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), as well as Pantami’s petition, while Adebutu did not succeed.
The clarification is significant because initial reports had suggested that Gwarzo, the NDC governorship candidate in Kano, was among those cleared. Subsequent information from the commission’s review indicates that his petition was not successful.
INEC receives 130 petitions
In an official statement, INEC disclosed that it received 130 petitions relating to the final lists of governorship and State Houses of Assembly candidates ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The commission said 69 petitions concerned governorship candidates, submitted by 12 political parties across 26 states. Of these, 41 were successful, while 28 were rejected.
For the State Houses of Assembly elections, INEC received 61 petitions from 11 political parties across 11 states. Twenty-five succeeded, while 36 were unsuccessful.
According to the commission, the complaints involved the omission of political parties, the inclusion of candidates whose names were absent from membership registers submitted by their parties and cases of alleged multiple nominations.
INEC said it examined the complaints alongside relevant records and applicable legal provisions before reaching its decisions.
It also approved the removal of some candidates whose names had initially appeared on the published lists but were subsequently found not to have met the applicable nomination requirements.
Why some candidates were omitted
The commission had previously explained that the submission of political party membership registers was a requirement under the Electoral Act, 2026.
Its position followed a Supreme Court judgment delivered on September 24, 2026, which affirmed the constitutionality of Section 77(5) to (7) of the Electoral Act concerning the submission of party membership registers.
Pantami, Adebutu and Gwarzo were among prominent governorship candidates whose names were absent from the lists published by INEC on October 10.
Pantami, who is seeking the Gombe governorship ticket under the PDP, subsequently petitioned the commission and secured approval for his inclusion.
Adebutu, also a PDP candidate, sought a review of his exclusion from the Ogun State list but was unsuccessful.
Gwarzo’s candidacy in Kano remains affected by litigation, including a Federal High Court order restraining INEC from publishing his name.
INEC said the affected candidates, political parties and states would be reflected in an updated list to be published on its website.
The commission reiterated its commitment to transparency and said its decisions were based on the complaints received, relevant records and applicable legal provisions.
The outcome leaves the affected political parties and candidates with the need to pursue any further legal remedies available to them ahead of the 2027 elections.
