BREAKING NEWS: INEC Clears Pantami, Gwarzo for 2027 Governorship Race, Rejects Adebutu’s Appeal

By Musa Luka Musa

October 29, 2026 | 8:35 PM WAT

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has cleared former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Professor Isa Ali Pantami, and the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) governorship candidate in Kano State, Abdulsalam Gwarzo, to contest the 2027 governorship election, subject to the final decisions of courts handling related legal disputes.

However, the commission has rejected an appeal filed by Ladi Adebutu, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in Ogun State, challenging the removal of his name from the list of candidates for the forthcoming election.

A source within INEC disclosed the decisions to Daily Trust following the commission’s meeting on Thursday, October 29, 2026.

According to the source, the commission received 69 complaints from political parties concerning the exclusion of governorship and state assembly candidates from its published list. Approximately 36 of the complaints were successful, while the remaining appeals were unsuccessful.

“We received 69 complaints from political parties. Some were successful, about 36, I think, while the rest were unsuccessful,” the source said.

The source added that INEC was awaiting the final report from its legal department before issuing an official statement detailing the outcome of the complaints.

The commission reportedly raised no objection to Pantami and Gwarzo contesting the 2027 elections, although ongoing court cases could affect their eligibility.

When asked whether Pantami had been cleared, the source responded in the affirmative.

“On Pantami, yes, he has been cleared,” the source said.

Regarding Gwarzo, the source explained that INEC’s position remained subject to the final determination of the court handling the legal challenge to his candidacy.

“Because there is a case in court, the court may decide otherwise. So, the clearance is subject to the final decision of the court,” the source stated.

Gwarzo had approached the court to challenge the exclusion of his name and that of his running mate, Rabiu Mustapha, from the list of Kano State governorship candidates.

In a suit filed on October 20, 2026, he reportedly asked the court to declare their exclusion unlawful and compel INEC to recognise them as the NDC’s governorship and deputy governorship candidates.

Pantami’s candidacy is also facing a legal challenge, with an INEC source indicating that a court hearing on the matter was expected on Friday.

INEC has also rejected the appeal submitted by Adebutu, who is seeking to contest the 2027 Ogun State governorship election under the PDP.

Confirming the development, the source said Adebutu’s appeal was unsuccessful.

“He was unsuccessful,” the source stated when asked about the PDP candidate’s complaint.

Adebutu had challenged his exclusion from INEC’s final list of governorship candidates, maintaining that he remained a duly registered member of the PDP and had complied with the party membership registration requirements.

His appeal was among the complaints submitted by political parties following the commission’s decision to exclude certain candidates from the published list.

The controversy followed INEC’s publication of the list of candidates in October 2026, which did not include several prominent aspirants, including Pantami and Gwarzo.

The commission reportedly linked the exclusions to alleged failures by political parties to comply with provisions of the Electoral Act 2026, particularly requirements concerning the submission of party membership registers.

The report also cited a September 24, 2026, Supreme Court judgment that upheld the constitutionality of Sections 77(5) to 77(7) of the Electoral Act, which address the submission of political parties’ membership registers.

The affected candidates subsequently pursued legal and administrative avenues to challenge their exclusion.

The commission is expected to release an official statement providing further details on the outcome of its review of the complaints submitted by political parties.

Until then, the reported clearance of Pantami and Gwarzo remains subject to the relevant court decisions, while Adebutu’s appeal has reportedly been rejected.

The developments mark a significant stage in the preparations for Nigeria’s 2027 governorship elections, as affected candidates and political parties continue to challenge decisions concerning eligibility and nomination procedures.

Editor’s note: This report is based on the information provided and attributed statements. Confirm the details against INEC’s official statement and the relevant court records before publication.