2027: INEC Decides Pantami, Adebutu, Others’ Fate Today

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) will today, Thursday, determine the fate of former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, and former Ogun State governorship candidate, Ladi Adebutu, whose names were omitted from its final list of candidates for the February 6, 2027 governorship elections.

INEC National Commissioner, Mohammed Haruna, disclosed the development in an interview with The PUNCH on Wednesday, saying the commission would deliberate on the final list at its meeting.
“As for the final list of candidates, we will meet on it at our next commission meeting on Thursday,” Haruna said.

Pantami is the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in Gombe State, while Adebutu is the party’s candidate in Ogun State.
Their names were missing from the final list published by INEC on October 10, despite Pantami’s appearance on the commission’s provisional list released on August 29.
Pantami emerged as the PDP candidate following a court-ordered rerun of the party’s governorship primary on September 29.

The exclusions have triggered protests and legal moves by the affected politicians and their parties, which insist that they fulfilled the requirements for valid nominations.

INEC, however, attributed the omissions to the failure of the affected political parties to submit their membership registers within the period prescribed by law.
The commission based its position on the Supreme Court judgment of September 24, 2026, which upheld the constitutionality of relevant provisions of the Electoral Act, 2026, requiring parties to submit their membership registers before conducting valid primaries, congresses and conventions.

The apex court also upheld INEC’s timetable requiring submission of the registers between April 21 and May 10, 2026.
The PDP has challenged the omission of its candidates, with its leadership and the affected politicians’ legal teams engaging the commission to resolve the dispute.
The party’s Ogun State chairman, Abayomi Tella, described Adebutu’s exclusion as an error, insisting that the party had met all statutory requirements.
Other affected candidates include Aminu Gwarzo of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) in Kano State and Senator Danjuma Laah, the party’s candidate in Kaduna State.

The commission had given political parties 14 days from the publication of the final list to report alleged wrongful omissions. The deadline expired on October 24.
Thursday’s meeting is expected to clarify whether the affected candidates will be reinstated or whether further legal action will follow.

Credit: The PUNCH