The political futures of former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy Isa Ali Pantami, former Ogun State governorship candidate Oladipupo Adebutu and Kano politician Aminu Gwarzo remain uncertain after the deadline for challenging omissions from the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) final list of candidates expired.

The deadline ended on Saturday, October 24, 2026, amid efforts by the affected political parties and candidates to resolve the issue.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) have complained about the exclusion of their candidates and called on INEC to address what they describe as wrongful omissions.

However, the commission has yet to announce a resolution that would confirm the affected candidates’ inclusion in the final list.

The dispute raises questions about candidate nomination procedures and the application of electoral laws ahead of the 2027 governorship elections.

Why were Pantami, Adebutu and Gwarzo omitted?

INEC attributed the exclusions to a Supreme Court judgment delivered on September 24, 2026, in the case of INEC v. Zenith Labour Party.

The judgment upheld provisions of the Electoral Act 2026 requiring political parties to submit their membership registers within the stipulated period and use those registers for their primaries, congresses and conventions.

INEC said it applied the relevant legal provisions when preparing the final list of governorship candidates.

Pantami emerged as the PDP governorship candidate in Gombe State following a court-ordered rerun of the party’s primary on September 29. His name appeared on INEC’s provisional list published in August but was missing from the final list released on October 10.

Adebutu, the PDP’s candidate in Ogun State, was also excluded. Gwarzo, the NDC’s governorship candidate in Kano State, and his running mate, Mustapha Rabiu Kwankwaso, were similarly affected.

PDP insists it met the requirements

The PDP has maintained that it complied with the requirements for nominating its governorship candidates in Gombe and Ogun states.

The party said it had engaged INEC over the omissions and was pursuing available options to resolve the dispute.

In Gombe, an aide to Pantami said the former minister intended to pursue legal options to challenge his exclusion.

The aide said lawyers representing Pantami had written to INEC and were seeking a resolution.

In Ogun, Adebutu’s campaign organisation expressed confidence that the commission would address the matter. The PDP’s state leadership also described the omission as an error and insisted that the party had fulfilled its obligations.

The NDC has also complained about Gwarzo’s exclusion, saying it had written to INEC but had yet to receive a substantive response.

The affected parties’ claims of compliance have not, by themselves, established that INEC is legally required to restore their names. The dispute will depend on the applicable electoral provisions and any subsequent decisions by the commission or courts.

Group asks INEC to explain its decisions

The National Association of Achievers Movement has called on INEC to explain the exclusion of some candidates and clarify the legal basis for its decisions.

The group said the commission should demonstrate that electoral requirements had been applied fairly and consistently to all parties and candidates.

It also raised questions about the inclusion of some other candidates whose nomination processes had attracted public scrutiny.

The association clarified that it was not demanding the automatic reinstatement of the omitted candidates or the disqualification of those already listed. Instead, it called for transparency over the decisions.

What happens next?

With the October 24 deadline having expired, the affected parties face uncertainty over their next steps and whether INEC will revise the list.

Legal action remains a possible route for candidates seeking to challenge the commission’s decisions, although the outcome would depend on the facts and applicable law.

The governorship elections in Gombe, Ogun and Kano are scheduled for February 6, 2027.

The controversy puts renewed focus on the importance of compliance with nomination rules, timely publication of candidate lists and clear explanations from electoral authorities.

For voters, the immediate question is whether the dispute will be resolved in time to provide clarity about the candidates who will appear on the ballot.

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INEC’s handling of the complaints will be closely watched as parties prepare for the next stage of the electoral process.