The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has cleared former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Ali Pantami, and the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) governorship candidate in Kano State, Abdulsalam Gwarzo, to contest the 2027 elections, topic to the result of pending courtroom circumstances.
The fee, nevertheless, rejected a petition by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in Ogun State, Ladi Adebutu, who sought a evaluation of his exclusion from the printed listing of candidates.
An INEC supply, who spoke to Daily Trust after the fee’s assembly on Thursday, stated 69 petitions have been acquired from political events over omitted governorship and State Houses of Assembly candidates, with about 36 profitable.
“We received a total of 69 petitions from political parties. Some of them were successful, I think about 36, and the rest didn’t succeed,” the supply stated.
The official stated the fee was awaiting closing figures from its authorized division, which was making ready a proper assertion on the selections.
On Pantami, the PDP governorship candidate in Gombe State, the supply confirmed that the fee had cleared him. “Yes, Pantami has been cleared,” the official stated.
Gwarzo’s clearance additionally stays topic to the result of litigation regarding his candidacy.
“Because of the court case, the court may rule otherwise. So his approval is subject to whatever the court finally decides,” the supply stated. But we have now no points with their contesting as candidates.”
Adebutu’s request for reconsideration was unsuccessful, with the official stating: “He did not succeed.”
The choices adopted complaints from political events and candidates whose names have been omitted from INEC’s lists printed forward of the 2027 normal elections.
Pantami and Gwarzo have been among the many distinguished governorship candidates lacking from the fee’s October listing.
INEC had attributed the omissions to alleged non-compliance with provisions of the Electoral Act, 2026, requiring political events to submit their membership registers.
The fee stated its place adopted a September 24, 2026, Supreme Court judgment affirming the constitutionality of Section 77(5) to (7) of the Electoral Act, which makes the submission of occasion membership registers necessary.
Gwarzo subsequently approached the courtroom to problem the exclusion of himself and his working mate, Rabiu Mustapha, from the Kano State governorship candidates’ listing.
In an originating summons dated October 20, 2026, he requested the courtroom to declare their omission illegal and compel INEC to recognise them because the NDC’s candidates.
Pantami’s candidacy has additionally been the topic of litigation, with the INEC supply saying a courtroom continuing was anticipated on Friday.
Adebutu had challenged his exclusion from the ultimate listing of governorship candidates in Ogun State, sustaining that he remained a registered PDP member and had complied with the occasion’s membership registration necessities.
INEC is predicted to launch a proper assertion detailing the result of its evaluation.
Erizia Rubyjeana
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