Political parties and their candidates have begun moves to resolve discrepancies in the Independent National Electoral Commission’s final list of candidates for the 2027 general elections, following the omission of several governorship and other candidates across the country.
The development has triggered protests and anxiety among affected parties, with the Peoples Democratic Party, Nigeria Democratic Congress, African Democratic Congress and other political platforms engaging the electoral commission over the missing names.
While some parties suspect administrative or technical errors, others are grappling with internal leadership disputes, nomination controversies and pending court cases, with the Action Alliance threatening legal action to secure the inclusion of its affected candidates.
Among the prominent politicians omitted from the list are former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof Isa Pantami, the PDP governorship candidate in Gombe State, and the party’s Ogun State contestant, Oladipupo Adebutu.
Other affected candidates include Aminu Gwarzo of the NDC in Kano State, former senator Danjuma Tella La’ah in Kaduna State and the Social Democratic Party’s governorship candidate in Benue State, Prof Sebastine Hon (SAN).
Pantami, Adebutu and other affected candidates have urged their supporters to remain calm, expressing hope that the discrepancies can be resolved through engagement with INEC and the appropriate legal channels. The PDP said it was already holding discussions with the commission, while other parties insisted that they had complied with the relevant nomination guidelines and submission deadlines.
However, not all omissions have been attributed to administrative errors. In Kwara State, the African Action Congress governorship candidate, Duwatsu Musa, was excluded because he had yet to attain the constitutionally prescribed minimum age of 35 for governorship candidates.
In Jigawa, the ADC protested the omission of its endorsed deputy governorship candidate, Aminu Ringim, and about seven other candidates from the published list.
The controversy has raised questions about the circumstances surrounding the omissions, the eligibility of affected candidates and the remedies available to political parties ahead of the elections. As the parties seek clarification and possible corrections, the unresolved cases threaten to trigger further legal disputes over who will appear on the ballot in 2027.
INEC’s final list, signed by the commission’s Secretary, Rose Oriaran-Anthony, contains the names of candidates and their running mates cleared to contest the 2027 general elections. However, the omission of candidates nominated by some political parties has raised concerns about their participation in the polls and the options available to secure their inclusion.
The Peoples Democratic Party said it had begun engaging INEC to resolve the omission of its governorship candidates in Ogun and Gombe states, assuring affected candidates and supporters that it was treating the matter with the seriousness it deserved.
In a statement on Sunday, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Jungudo Mohammed, said the PDP was pursuing an amicable resolution in line with the law and established electoral guidelines.
The party urged affected candidates, members and supporters to remain calm while discussions with the commission continued.
The statement read in part, “The party wishes to assure all affected candidates, members and supporters that it is already engaging with INEC to address the issues responsible for the omissions, with a view to securing an amicable resolution in accordance with the law and established electoral guidelines.
“The PDP, therefore, assures all concerned that it is treating this development with the utmost seriousness it deserves and will communicate further developments as appropriate.
“The party is committed to ensuring that all legitimate concerns are properly addressed with the commission.
“Consequently, the party calls on all affected candidates, members and supporters to remain calm, exercise patience and refrain from actions or statements capable of undermining the ongoing engagements with the commission.”
INEC’s final lists for Ogun and Gombe states contained 13 and 16 governorship candidates, respectively, but neither included a PDP candidate.
The omissions affected the party’s governorship flagbearers in the two states, Oladipupo Adebutu in Ogun and former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof Isa Pantami, in Gombe.
Adebutu, in a statement on Sunday, maintained that he remained a duly registered PDP member and had fulfilled the requirements for his candidacy. He said he completed his digital membership registration within the stipulated period and that his membership card had been printed and verified before the relevant documents were submitted to INEC.
He also maintained that the primary election that produced him as the party’s governorship candidate was conducted in the presence of INEC officials, who attended as observers.
Addressing his supporters, Adebutu said, “I am aware of the concerns following the omission of my name from INEC’s published list of Ogun governorship candidates for the 2027 election. I consider it important to address you directly and reassure you that there is no cause for alarm.
“I remain a duly registered member of the Peoples Democratic Party. I completed my digital registration within the stipulated period, and my membership card was printed and verified. My documentation was duly submitted to INEC within the prescribed time. I have not at any point left the PDP, and my commitment to our great party remains unwavering.
“The governorship primary that produced me as the party’s candidate was conducted with INEC officials in attendance as observers. The relevant documents were presented for verification, certification and confirmation. These are important facts that must not be overlooked in the present circumstances.”
Adebutu alleged that the Ogun State PDP had faced undue pressure from the ruling All Progressives Congress, questioning why his name was missing from the governorship list while the party’s candidates for the state House of Assembly, House of Representatives and Senate were included.
He said the party would pursue the matter through the appropriate channels, adding, “No amount of intimidation should prevent the people of Ogun State from having a fair opportunity to choose leaders of choice.”
The PDP candidate urged his supporters to remain steadfast, insisting that he would not abandon his ambition to lead the state.
However, Kayode Odunaro, Special Adviser on Media to the APC governorship candidate, Senator Solomon Adeola, dismissed Adebutu’s allegation that the ruling party had pressured INEC to exclude him.
Odunaro argued that the PDP should accept responsibility if it had failed to comply with the commission’s administrative procedures and electoral requirements.
“How can anyone now attribute the failure of PDP to follow through on simple administrative procedures and adherence to rules of the game to pressure from APC on INEC leading to the non-listing of their candidate as a contestant?
“Besides, other candidates from other states suffered the same fate as factional PDP in Ogun State for similar non-adherence to the law. The nationally comatose PDP should stop the blame game on APC and its flagbearer, Senator Solomon Adeola, for all their gambling tendencies in simple matters of following laid-down rules,” he said.
Odunaro added that the APC and its candidate were prepared to contest against any candidate recognised by INEC, arguing that it would be futile to focus on a candidate whose name did not appear on the commission’s list.
