The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has excluded Oladipupo Adebutu, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in Ogun State, and former Communications Minister Isa Ali Pantami, the party’s candidate in Gombe State, from its final list for the 2027 governorship elections over alleged breaches of electoral law.
The two politicians were among at least four governorship candidates whose names were missing from the final list released by the electoral commission on Saturday.
Also affected were Abdulsalam Gwarzo, the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) candidate in Kano State, and Danjuma La’ah, the party’s candidate in Kaduna State.
The Social Democratic Party (SDP) has separately claimed that four of its candidates were also omitted from the list.
An INEC source attributed the exclusions to the Supreme Court’s September 24 judgment upholding provisions of the Electoral Act 2026 on political party membership registers and candidate selection.
According to the source, the commission reviewed the provisional lists of governorship candidates alongside the membership registers submitted by their respective political parties before producing the final list.
The source explained that the affected candidates’ names could not be found in the electronic membership registers submitted to INEC within the period prescribed by law.
The commission reportedly concluded that the candidates had failed to meet the statutory requirements governing participation in party primaries and the nomination of candidates for elections.
The source also linked the problem to political defections and realignments, saying some politicians had overlooked the legal requirements and deadlines for registering as members of their parties.
INEC maintained, according to the source, that the Supreme Court ruling required it to enforce the provisions of the law rather than overlook the alleged lapses.
PDP GIVES INEC 48 HOURS
The exclusion has drawn objections from the affected political camps, with the PDP demanding an explanation from INEC.
The opposition party gave the commission 48 hours to explain why its candidates had been left off the final list, warning that it would decide its next course of action if the deadline passed without a satisfactory response.
The dispute has raised questions about the eligibility of the affected candidates to contest the February 6, 2027 governorship elections and whether the parties will pursue further legal action.
WHAT THE SUPREME COURT DECIDED
The dispute follows a September 24 judgment by a seven-member Supreme Court panel led by Justice Adamu Jauro, which overturned an earlier Court of Appeal ruling delivered in Abuja on July 16.
The earlier judgment had invalidated disputed provisions of the Electoral Act 2026 in a suit brought by the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), which argued that the requirements amounted to unlawful interference by INEC in the internal affairs of political parties.
The Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of Sections 77(5), 77(6), 77(7) and 84(2) of the Electoral Act, ruling that the provisions did not conflict with the 1999 Constitution, as amended.
Section 77(5) requires political parties to submit their membership registers to INEC at least 21 days before conducting primaries, congresses or conventions. Only members whose names appear on the duly submitted registers are eligible to participate in those exercises.
Section 77(6) requires parties to use the official membership registers submitted to the commission when conducting the exercises, while Section 77(7) bars a party that fails to submit its register within the prescribed period from fielding candidates in the affected election.
The judgment has consequently placed renewed attention on compliance with party registration rules and the procedures for selecting candidates ahead of the 2027 elections.
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