2027: INEC Rejects Adebutu, Gwarzo, Clears Pantami as Ogun, Kano Opposition Parties Face Setback

2027: INEC Rejects Adebutu, Gwarzo, Clears Pantami as Ogun, Kano Opposition Parties Face Setback

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has dealt a major blow to opposition parties in Ogun and Kano states after rejecting petitions seeking the inclusion of their governorship candidates in the final list for the 2027 elections.

The affected politicians are former Ogun State governorship candidate, Ladi Adebutu, of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and former Kano State Deputy Governor, Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo, of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC).

However, in a significant development, the electoral commission has cleared former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Professor Isa Ali Pantami, to contest the 2027 governorship election in Gombe State on the platform of the PDP.

The decisions followed INEC’s review of complaints and petitions submitted by political parties and candidates whose names were missing from the commission’s initial final list of candidates published on October 10, 2026.

The development has intensified political uncertainty for the affected opposition parties as preparations gather momentum ahead of the February 6, 2027 governorship elections.

According to reports, INEC rejected Adebutu’s petition challenging his exclusion from the list, maintaining that his name was not contained in the original list of candidates submitted by the PDP to the commission.

An INEC source reportedly explained that the commission could not include Adebutu because his name was absent from the list initially submitted by his political party.

Gwarzo’s situation is also complicated by a court order restraining INEC from publishing his name. The electoral commission reportedly maintained that his clearance was affected by an ex parte order issued by the Federal High Court.

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Although reports indicate that Gwarzo’s candidacy received favourable consideration during the review process, his inclusion remains subject to the outcome of the pending court proceedings.

Pantami, on the other hand, secured a major breakthrough after INEC accepted his petition and cleared him to contest the Gombe governorship election.

The former minister had earlier been omitted from the commission’s October 10 list despite emerging as the PDP’s governorship candidate following a court-ordered rerun primary conducted on September 29.

His emergence had generated controversy following legal questions surrounding compliance with provisions of the Electoral Act, particularly the submission of political parties’ membership registers.

INEC’s decisions followed a review exercise involving petitions from political parties challenging the omission of their candidates and other nomination-related issues.

The commission had explained that it examined the complaints, relevant records and applicable legal provisions before deciding which petitions merited approval and which should be rejected.

The controversy is connected to the September 24, 2026 Supreme Court judgment on provisions of the Electoral Act 2026 requiring political parties to submit their membership registers within the stipulated period.

The judgment has raised serious questions about the eligibility of candidates whose nominations may have been affected by alleged irregularities in party membership registration and primary processes.

For the PDP, the rejection of Adebutu’s petition represents another challenge in its efforts to maintain a strong presence in Ogun State, while Pantami’s clearance offers the party some relief in Gombe.

The NDC, meanwhile, faces uncertainty over its governorship ticket in Kano as Gwarzo’s legal battle continues.

INEC is expected to reflect the approved changes in its updated list of candidates, while the final determination of any candidacy affected by pending litigation will depend on the outcome of the relevant court proceedings.

The developments underscore the growing legal and political battles surrounding the 2027 elections, with the eligibility of prominent candidates already becoming a major issue months before voters head to the polls.

2027: INEC Rejects Adebutu, Gwarzo, Clears Pantami as Ogun, Kano Opposition Parties Face Setback