By Taibat Ummi Yakubu

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has left three prominent opposition governorship candidates off its final list for the February 6, 2027 elections, triggering fresh uncertainty over the electoral contests in Gombe, Ogun and Kano states.

The affected politicians are Ali Pantami of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Gombe, Ladi Adebutu of the PDP in Ogun, and Aminu Gwarzo of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) in Kano. Their names were missing from the final list published on Saturday, despite their parties’ earlier claims that they had been duly nominated.

The development has raised questions about the status of the opposition parties’ tickets in the three states, particularly as the election approaches and the candidates’ camps consider their options.

Meanwhile, INEC included the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Rivers State, Kingsley Chinda, as the fifth name on the commission’s list of 19 candidates for the state.

The final lists, signed by INEC Secretary Rose Oriaran-Anthony and published on the commission’s website, showed 16 candidates from other political parties in Gombe and 13 in Ogun, with neither state’s list featuring a PDP governorship candidate.

Although INEC did not publicly give specific reasons for the omissions, the development is believed to be linked to a Supreme Court judgment in the case of INEC v. Zenith Labour Party, which upheld the continued validity of Section 77 of the Electoral Act 2026. The provisions concern political party membership registers and the eligibility of parties to nominate candidates.

Pantami faces fresh uncertainty despite winning rerun primary

Pantami’s absence is particularly notable because his name appeared on INEC’s provisional list released on August 29.

The former APC member joined the PDP on May 19 and subsequently emerged as the party’s governorship candidate in Gombe. However, his initial victory was challenged in court by Ahmed Mailantarki, another aspirant who contested the party’s ticket.

A Federal High Court in Gombe nullified the initial primary and directed the PDP to conduct a fresh exercise. Pantami won the rerun primary held on September 29, defeating Khamisu Mailantarki and Usman Aliyu Garry.

Despite that victory, the Supreme Court’s September 24 judgment restoring Sections 77(5), 77(6), 77(7) and 84(2) of the Electoral Act 2026 introduced another legal hurdle. The provisions restrict parties from fielding candidates whose names were not included in the membership register submitted to INEC within the prescribed period.

The legal implications of the judgment have fuelled uncertainty over the participation of some political parties in the 2027 elections. INEC National Commissioner Mohammed Haruna had earlier indicated that certain parties might be unable to field candidates because of the ruling.

Section 32(2) of the Electoral Act 2026 also provides a 14-day period for political parties to notify INEC in writing, accompanied by an affidavit, where a nominated candidate’s name is missing.

Reacting to his omission, Pantami assured his supporters that efforts were underway to resolve the matter, describing the situation as a temporary challenge rather than a final decision on his candidacy.

In a statement signed by Professor Suleiman Mohammed Gombe, his camp acknowledged the concerns raised among PDP supporters and members of the Pantamiyya Movement in Gombe and beyond.

It said the candidate’s legal and liaison teams were engaging with relevant PDP organs and INEC to address the issue, comply with the court order and seek a correction within the period permitted by law.

Ogun PDP blames ruling party for Adebutu’s omission

In Ogun State, the omission of Adebutu and his running mate, Kolapo-Sowunmi, has cast uncertainty over the PDP’s governorship ticket.

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Speculation has centred on whether Adebutu’s name was included in the party membership register submitted to INEC, as required by the Electoral Act. The commission, however, has not publicly confirmed that this was the specific reason for leaving him off the list.

The Ogun PDP has rejected any suggestion that the omission should be taken as the end of Adebutu’s candidacy, urging residents to remain calm while expressing confidence that his name would eventually be published.

In a statement, the party’s Publicity Secretary, Kayode Adebayo, alleged that the ruling party had exerted undue pressure on INEC because of fears of losing the election. He did not present publicly verifiable evidence for the allegation in the statement.

The party maintained that Adebutu had remained a registered PDP member throughout the designated digital registration period, adding that his membership card had been printed, verified and submitted to INEC within the stipulated timeframe.

It also urged residents not to be distracted by the controversy, insisting that the party remained committed to its campaign despite the omission.

The PDP’s position sets up a dispute over the circumstances surrounding the missing names, with the party maintaining that its candidate fulfilled the membership requirements while the final INEC list leaves both Adebutu and his running mate out of the race, for now.

Kano NDC insists Gwarzo remains its candidate

In Kano, the state chairman of the NDC, Alhaji Hussaini Mairiga, has dismissed suggestions that the party’s governorship ticket has changed, insisting that Gwarzo remains its candidate.

Speaking in a telephone interview, Mairiga said the joint ticket involving Gwarzo and his running mate, Mustapha Rabiu Kwankwaso, had been processed and submitted to INEC in line with electoral requirements and statutory deadlines.

“Gwarzo’s name was submitted to INEC, and he and his running mate, Mustapha Rabiu Kwankwaso, are the authentic flag bearers of the party,” Mairiga said.

He attributed the discrepancy to what he described as a possible administrative mix-up or communication problem, rather than a formal rejection of the candidates by the electoral commission.

“I believe there is a mix-up somewhere, and I do not think the list is from the commission, since we are sure that the name we submitted is what stands,” he added.

However, with Gwarzo’s name absent from INEC’s published list, his ability to contest the election under the NDC platform remains uncertain unless the issue is resolved through the appropriate legal or electoral process.

INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, had earlier pledged that the commission would publish the final list of candidates, which it has now released.

The omissions place the affected parties under pressure to clarify their legal positions and determine what steps remain available under the law. Until the commission provides further clarification or any relevant challenge is resolved, the status of the three opposition tickets remains a significant issue ahead of the February 2027 governorship elections.