2027 governorship: Why we delisted Adebutu, Pantami, Gwarzo – INEC

… says parties failed to submit membership registers as required by law

. Sets October 24 deadline for omitted candidates to make complaints

Independent National Electoral Commission, on Tuesday, offered explanations for its omission of some candidates from the final list for the 2027 governorship elections, citing the failure of their political parties to submit membership registers within the period stipulated by law as the major reason for its action against them.

INEC’s explanation follows reactions from affected political parties and candidates after prominent names, including the Peoples Democratic Party’s governorship candidates in Ogun and Gombe states, Ladi Adebutu and Isa Pantami, respectively, were omitted from the published list released last Saturday.

The electoral umpire in a statement, stated that its decision was based on the Supreme Court’s judgement of September 24, 2026 in INEC v. Zenith Labour Party, Appeal No. SC/CV/495/2026, which upheld the constitutionality of Section 77(5)–(7) of the Electoral Act, 2026.

National Commissioner and Chairman of INEC’s Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Kudu Haruna, signed the statement.

INEC said the provisions require political parties to submit their membership registers within the stipulated period, while the Supreme Court also upheld the commission’s timetable for the submission of the registers between April 21 and May 10, 2026.

It further explained that the apex court held that political parties that failed to comply with the statutory requirements were ineligible to sponsor candidates in the elections.

INEC said it was the judgment it applied in preparing the final list of governorship candidates in compliance with Section 287(1) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, which requires the decisions of superior courts to be obeyed.

One of those affected by the INEC delisting is Pantami, who emerged from a court-ordered rerun of the PDP governorship primary in Gombe State.

Similarly, the PDP governorship candidate in Ogun State, Adebutu and his running mate, were also not included in the list, prompting questions about the party’s participation in the 2027 governorship election.

But the Ogun State chapter of the PDP subsequently blamed the ruling All Progressives Congress of masterminding its candidates’ ordeal by mounting pressure on INEC to delist them. However, the PDP’s allegation has not been established by the commission’s explanation.

Human rights lawyer Inibehe Effiong urged INEC to demonstrate its impartiality in handling the controversy surrounding the candidates’ list.

But INEC maintained that its action was guided by the Supreme Court judgment and the relevant provisions of the Electoral Act, rather than the political identities of the affected candidates.

It further clarified that the final lists of presidential and National Assembly candidates had been published on September 12, 2026, before the Supreme Court delivered its judgment on September 24.

INEC said the timing of the judgment and the legal requirements informed its subsequent handling of the governorship candidates’ list.

The commission also drew attention to Section 32(2) of the Electoral Act, 2026, which provides a procedure for political parties to notify the commission if they believe their candidates were wrongly omitted from the published list.

INEC stated that affected parties have 14 days from the date of publication to submit such notifications, fixing October 24, 2026 as the deadline for them to do so.

The electoral body urged affected political parties to use the prescribed procedure before the deadline.

The statement reaffirmed INEC’s commitment to transparency, adherence to the rule of law and the credibility of the electoral process as preparations continue for next year’s general elections.