The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has attributed the omission of some candidates from its final list for the 2027 governorship elections to political parties’ failure to comply with statutory requirements for submitting membership registers.
The explanation follows public reactions to the exclusion of prominent Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidates, including Isa Pantami in Gombe State and Ladi Adebutu in Ogun State.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, October 13, INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Kudu Haruna, said the commission acted in line with a Supreme Court judgment delivered on September 24, 2026.
The ruling concerned the case of INEC v. Zenith Labour Party, Appeal No. SC/CV/495/2026.
Supreme Court ruling on party membership registers
According to INEC, the Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of Sections 77(5)–(7) of the Electoral Act, 2026, which require political parties to submit their membership registers within the period prescribed by law.
The commission said the court also upheld its timetable requiring parties to submit their registers between April 21 and May 10, 2026.
INEC explained that the judgment established that political parties that failed to meet the requirements were ineligible to sponsor candidates in the elections.
It said the decision was applied when the commission finalised the governorship candidates’ list, in accordance with Section 287(1) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, which requires compliance with court decisions.
Pantami, Adebutu affected by exclusions
Pantami’s name was missing from the final list despite his reported victory in a court-ordered rerun of the PDP governorship primary in Gombe State.
In Ogun State, Adebutu and his running mate were also absent from the list.
The omissions prompted reactions from affected political interests. The Ogun PDP accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of exerting pressure on INEC, while human rights lawyer Inibehe Effiong called on the commission to demonstrate its impartiality.
These reactions are separate from INEC’s stated legal explanation, and the allegations of political pressure have not been established by the commission’s statement.
October 24 deadline for complaints
INEC also outlined a procedure for political parties that believe their candidates were wrongly omitted.
Citing Section 32(2) of the Electoral Act, 2026, the commission said affected parties have 14 days from the publication of the relevant list to notify it of an alleged wrongful omission.
The commission fixed October 24, 2026, as the deadline for such notifications.
INEC further noted 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.
The commission reaffirmed its commitment to transparency, the rule of law and the credibility of Nigeria’s electoral process as preparations continue for the 2027 general elections.
