The INEC 2027 candidate list has generated fresh political developments as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) rejected petitions involving Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in Ogun State, Ladi Adebutu, and Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) candidate in Kano State, Aminu Gwarzo, while clearing former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Ali Pantami, to contest the 2027 governorship election in Gombe State.
The latest development followed INEC’s review of complaints arising from the final lists of candidates published for the 2027 governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections.
According to a source within the electoral commission, Adebutu’s and Gwarzo’s candidacies remain uncertain following the commission’s decisions on the petitions submitted by political parties and other concerned individuals.
It was confirmed on Thursday night on condition of anonymity, confirmed that Pantami had been cleared to participate in the Gombe State governorship election.
INEC 2027 candidate list: Why INEC Rejected Ladi Adebutu’s Petition
Explaining the situation surrounding Ladi Adebutu’s candidacy, the INEC source said his name was missing from the list of candidates originally submitted to the commission by the Peoples Democratic Party.
According to the source, his petition was rejected because the PDP had not included his name in its initial list of candidates submitted to INEC.
“His petition was rejected because his name was not included in the list of candidates originally submitted to INEC by the PDP,” the source stated.
The development leaves Adebutu’s participation in the 2027 Ogun State governorship election uncertain.
Aminu Gwarzo’s Candidacy Affected by Court Order
Meanwhile, the candidacy of Kano State Deputy Governor, Aminu Gwarzo, was affected by an ex parte order issued by the Federal High Court.
The INEC source explained that Gwarzo would have been included in the updated list but for the court order restraining the electoral commission from publishing his name.
“He would have scaled through, but unfortunately, there was an ex parte order from the Federal High Court barring INEC from publishing his name. That was the reason he was not cleared,” the source said.
The source added that Gwarzo’s political future in the 2027 election would depend on the outcome of the ongoing legal proceedings concerning his candidacy.
INEC Clears Isa Ali Pantami for 2027 Gombe Governorship Election
In a contrasting development, former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Ali Pantami, has been cleared by INEC to contest the 2027 governorship election in Gombe State.
Pantami, who is the PDP governorship candidate in the state, was among the prominent politicians whose names were initially missing from the final list published by the electoral commission on October 10, 2026.
His clearance followed INEC’s review of complaints and petitions challenging the published list of candidates.
INEC Upholds 66 Petitions, Rejects 64
In a statement issued on Thursday night, INEC announced that it had upheld 66 petitions and rejected 64 others challenging the final lists of governorship and State Houses of Assembly candidates for the 2027 general elections.
The statement was signed by the Chairman of the commission’s Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Haruna.
INEC explained that the petitions arose from complaints concerning the omission of political parties, the inclusion of candidates whose names were missing from their parties’ membership registers, and alleged multiple nominations.
The commission said it carefully reviewed the complaints, relevant records and applicable legal provisions before reaching its decisions.
Haruna stated that some complaints were found to have merit, leading to the approval of affected candidates and political parties, while others were rejected.
He added that INEC had also approved the removal of candidates whose nominations failed to meet the relevant legal requirements.
Breakdown of INEC’s Decisions on the Petitions
According to the commission, 69 petitions were received from 12 political parties across 26 states concerning the governorship elections.
Of the 69 petitions:
- 41 petitions were upheld.
- 28 petitions were rejected.
For the State Houses of Assembly elections, INEC received 61 petitions from 11 political parties across 11 states.
The breakdown showed that:
- 25 petitions were upheld.
- 36 petitions were rejected.
In total, the commission received 130 petitions and upheld 66, while rejecting 64.
INEC explained that its decisions on the State Houses of Assembly candidates were based on the specific complaints received and determined in accordance with established legal requirements.
INEC to Publish Updated 2027 Candidate List
The electoral commission disclosed that the affected candidates, political parties and states would be reflected in an updated list to be published on its official website.
The INEC source also indicated that the updated list would be released on Friday, October 30, 2026.
The development is expected to provide further clarification on the status of candidates affected by the review of the petitions.
INEC reiterated its commitment to transparency, fairness and electoral credibility, assuring Nigerians that all complaints were considered based on relevant records and applicable legal provisions.
Why INEC Reviewed the 2027 Election Candidate List
The latest decisions followed an earlier statement issued by INEC on October 13, 2026, concerning complaints arising from the publication of the final lists of governorship and State Houses of Assembly candidates.
At the time, the commission attributed some of the omissions to alleged non-compliance with provisions of the Electoral Act, 2026, particularly the requirement for political parties to submit their membership registers.
INEC said its position was informed by the Supreme Court judgment delivered on September 24, 2026, which affirmed the constitutionality of Section 77(5) to (7) of the Electoral Act.
The provisions make the submission of political parties’ membership registers mandatory.
With the latest review, attention has shifted to the updated INEC 2027 candidate list and the legal developments surrounding candidates whose nominations remain disputed.
The status of Adebutu and Gwarzo will depend on the applicable electoral requirements and, in Gwarzo’s case, the outcome of the court proceedings, while Pantami’s clearance confirms his eligibility to contest under the commission’s latest decision.
