From Pantami to Adebutu: Political parties battle INEC over missing names on 2027 list

Political parties across Nigeria have begun engaging the Independent National Electoral Commission over the omission of several governorship and legislative candidates from its final list for the 2027 general elections, raising concerns about nomination procedures, administrative errors and unresolved internal disputes.

The controversy has affected candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party, Nigeria Democratic Congress, African Democratic Congress, Social Democratic Party, New Nigeria Peoples Party and other political platforms, with some parties insisting that they complied with the commission’s guidelines and submission deadlines.

While some have attributed the omissions to technical glitches and administrative mix-ups, others have acknowledged that internal leadership crises, disputed nominations and pending court cases may have contributed to the development.

The Action Alliance has threatened legal action over the exclusion of some of its candidates, insisting that no qualified nominee should be denied the opportunity to contest because of avoidable errors.

Among the prominent politicians missing from the published list are former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof Isa Pantami, the PDP governorship candidate in Gombe State, and the party’s Ogun State candidate, Oladipupo Adebutu.

Other affected politicians include Aminu Gwarzo of the NDC in Kano State, former senator Danjuma Tella La’ah in Kaduna State and the SDP governorship candidate in Benue State, Prof Sebastine Hon (SAN).

The list, signed by INEC Secretary Rose Oriaran-Anthony, contains the names of candidates and their running mates cleared to contest the 2027 elections.

However, the omission of candidates nominated by several parties has triggered anxiety among supporters and raised questions about the circumstances surrounding the exclusions, the eligibility of the affected politicians and the legal options available to their parties.

PDP engages INEC over Ogun, Gombe omissions

The PDP says it has begun discussions with INEC to resolve the omission of its governorship candidates in Ogun and Gombe states.

In a statement on Sunday, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Jungudo Mohammed, said the party was pursuing an amicable resolution in accordance with the law and established electoral guidelines.

The PDP urged affected candidates, members and supporters to remain calm while discussions with the commission continued.

The statement read in part, “The party wishes to assure all affected candidates, members and supporters that it is already engaging with INEC to address the issues responsible for the omissions, with a view to securing an amicable resolution in accordance with the law and established electoral guidelines.

“The PDP, therefore, assures all concerned that it is treating this development with the utmost seriousness it deserves and will communicate further developments as appropriate.

“The party is committed to ensuring that all legitimate concerns are properly addressed with the commission.

“Consequently, the party calls on all affected candidates, members and supporters to remain calm, exercise patience and refrain from actions or statements capable of undermining the ongoing engagements with the commission.”

INEC’s published list contains 13 governorship candidates in Ogun State and 16 in Gombe State, but neither list includes a PDP nominee.

The omissions affect Adebutu in Ogun and Pantami in Gombe.

Adebutu, in a statement on Sunday, maintained that he remained a duly registered PDP member and had fulfilled the requirements for his candidacy.

He said he completed his digital membership registration within the stipulated period, adding that his membership card had been printed and verified before the relevant documents were submitted to INEC.

The former governorship candidate also maintained that the primary election that produced him as the PDP flagbearer was conducted in the presence of INEC officials, who attended as observers.

Addressing his supporters, Adebutu said, “I am aware of the concerns following the omission of my name from INEC’s published list of Ogun governorship candidates for the 2027 election. I consider it important to address you directly and reassure you that there is no cause for alarm.

“I remain a duly registered member of the Peoples Democratic Party. I completed my digital registration within the stipulated period, and my membership card was printed and verified. My documentation was duly submitted to INEC within the prescribed time. I have not at any point left the PDP, and my commitment to our great party remains unwavering.

“The governorship primary that produced me as the party’s candidate was conducted with INEC officials in attendance as observers. The relevant documents were presented for verification, certification and confirmation. These are important facts that must not be overlooked in the present circumstances.”

Adebutu alleged that the Ogun PDP had come under undue pressure from the ruling All Progressives Congress, questioning why his name was missing from the governorship list while the party’s candidates for the state House of Assembly, House of Representatives and Senate were included.

He said the PDP would pursue the matter through the appropriate channels, insisting that political pressure should not deprive Ogun residents of the opportunity to choose their preferred leader.

“No amount of intimidation should prevent the people of Ogun State from having a fair opportunity to choose leaders of choice,” he said.

Adebutu urged his supporters to remain steadfast, maintaining that he would not abandon his ambition to lead the state.

However, Kayode Odunaro, Special Adviser on Media to the APC governorship candidate, Senator Solomon Adeola, dismissed the allegation that the ruling party had pressured INEC to exclude Adebutu.

Odunaro argued that the PDP should accept responsibility if it had failed to comply with the commission’s administrative procedures and electoral requirements.

“How can anyone now attribute the failure of PDP to follow through on simple administrative procedures and adherence to rules of the game to pressure from APC on INEC leading to the non-listing of their candidate as a contestant?” he asked.

He added that candidates from other states had suffered similar omissions over what he described as non-compliance with electoral requirements.

Odunaro urged the PDP to stop blaming the APC and its candidate, insisting that the party should take responsibility for any failure to follow established procedures.

He said the APC and Adeola were prepared to contest against any candidate recognised by INEC, arguing that it would be futile to focus on a politician whose name did not appear on the commission’s published list.

Pantami appeals for calm in Gombe

In Gombe State, Pantami’s camp has also urged supporters to remain calm, describing the omission as a temporary setback that could still be resolved within the period permitted by law.

Pantami emerged as the PDP governorship candidate following a fresh primary election held on September 29, 2026, after an order of the Federal High Court necessitated another exercise to determine the party’s flagbearer.

The spokesperson for the Pantamiyya Movement, Prof Suleiman Mohammed, acknowledged the concerns among PDP members and Pantami’s supporters but maintained that the omission did not amount to a final determination of the candidate’s political future.

In a statement shared by Pantami on Facebook, Mohammed said the group was aware that the candidate’s name had not been published despite the fresh primary election ordered by the court.

He said, “Our attention has been drawn to the non-publication of the name of our candidate from the fresh primary election of September 29, 2026, as ordered by the Federal High Court, Professor Isa Ali Ibrahim (Pantami).

“We wish to assure all our supporters to remain calm, steadfast, and hopeful. This is a temporary challenge and a normal part of the electoral process, not a final determination, in sha Allah.”

According to Mohammed, Pantami’s legal and liaison teams were engaging relevant party organs and INEC to address the issue and secure a resolution within the period allowed by law.

“Our legal and liaison teams are already engaging with the relevant organs of the party and INEC to ensure full compliance and rectification within the window provided by law. By the grace of Allah, this matter will be resolved,” he said.

Mohammed further alleged that some individuals were working behind the scenes to frustrate what he described as responsible leadership in Gombe State, although he did not identify those allegedly involved.

He urged supporters to sustain their mobilisation activities and remain focused on the group’s stated commitment to public service.

NDC challenges Gwarzo’s omission in Kano

The NDC in Kano State has vowed to engage INEC over the omission of its governorship candidate, Aminu Gwarzo, and his running mate, Mustapha Kwankwaso, from the final list.

The party’s state chairman, Hussaini Mairiga, said the candidates’ names had been submitted in accordance with the applicable guidelines and statutory deadlines.

Mairiga attributed the omission to a possible administrative mix-up, insisting that the development did not invalidate the party’s governorship ticket.

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

Expressing confidence that the matter would be resolved, he questioned whether the published list accurately reflected the names submitted by the party.

“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 said.

Mairiga maintained that INEC was expected to recognise the candidates nominated by the party rather than substitute them with other names.

“INEC cannot substitute our names; they just have to work on the names we presented to them,” he added.

The party’s Public Relations Officer, Yusif Fasaha, also blamed the omission on a technical error, claiming that the commission had assured the party that the issue would be corrected.

“I want to assure you, as the PRO of the party, the problem is not from us. We have consulted the INEC, and they told us that the problem was from the computer, and they will rectify it,” Fasaha said in a statement reported by the News Agency of Nigeria.

However, INEC had not publicly confirmed that a computer error was responsible for the omission as of the time of filing the report.

Action Alliance threatens legal action

The Action Alliance has threatened to challenge the omission of some of its governorship and legislative candidates, describing the development as a possible technical error that must be addressed to prevent the exclusion of legitimate nominees.

The party’s National Chairman and presidential candidate, Aare Adekunle Omo-Aje, disclosed this at a town hall meeting in Kaduna on Sunday, saying its legal team was preparing a formal complaint to INEC.

“There is no cause for alarm. All mechanisms are being put in place to address the issue and ensure that no legitimate candidate of the party is disenfranchised,” he said.

The party identified its affected governorship candidates as Eke Israel in Rivers State, Titilola-Sodo Dayo in Oyo State, Abdullah-Bukharin in Nasarawa State and Zubairu Musa in Bauchi State.

Omo-Aje said the omissions also affected some National Assembly and state House of Assembly candidates.

He maintained that the party would continue to pursue the matter until the discrepancies were resolved in the interest of justice and democratic participation.

The AA chairman also urged INEC to strengthen its verification procedures before publishing final candidates’ lists, arguing that better checks could prevent avoidable controversies and litigation ahead of the elections.

ADC protests omissions in Jigawa

In Jigawa State, the ADC protested the omission of its endorsed deputy governorship candidate, Aminu Ringim, whose name was replaced by Musa Balarabe on the published list.

The party’s Deputy State Chairman, Nuraddeen Jidawa, confirmed that Ringim and about seven other candidates endorsed by the party were missing from the final list, despite the party’s claim that their names had been submitted in accordance with INEC’s guidelines.

Jidawa said the party did not consider the published list the end of the matter and would continue to engage the commission through lawful channels.

“The party doesn’t consider the released list as final. We will continue to reach out to the electoral umpire through any legal means,” he said.

He said the party was dissatisfied with the omissions and would continue to pursue the matter concerning affected candidates in several constituencies, including Hadejia/Auyo/Kafin Hausa, Kaugama and Birnin Kudu.

Jidawa called for compliance with constitutional and electoral requirements, expressing hope that the disputes would be resolved through the appropriate legal channels.

NDC blames registration mix-up in Kaduna

In Kaduna State, the NDC governorship candidate and former senator, Danjuma Tella La’ah, was also missing from the published list amid an unresolved dispute over the party’s ticket.

The party’s state chairman, Evangelist Mordecai Ibrahim, attributed the omission to discrepancies in the registration of La’ah’s name.

According to him, network problems during the online registration process resulted in multiple registration attempts and a subsequent mix-up.

“The problem is that there was a mix-up of names. The person who registered him made a mistake because, each time there were network issues, we got several people to try registering him,” Ibrahim said.

He added, “They are trying to make sure that Danjuma Tella La’ah and Danjuma La’ah are the same person. That is all.”

Ibrahim expressed confidence that the discrepancy would be resolved, insisting that both the party and its candidate were qualified to participate in the election.

He said legal options could be explored if necessary, citing a previous election in which, according to him, a court ordered the inclusion of a candidate on the ballot shortly before the poll.

However, Ibrahim did not disclose whether the party had formally petitioned INEC over the alleged registration error or initiated legal proceedings to secure La’ah’s inclusion.

The omission comes against the background of an earlier disagreement within the NDC over who should represent the party in the Kaduna governorship election.

In August, Ibrahim said the party had yet to decide between La’ah and lawyer Mohammed Abbas.

“The bitter truth is that both at the state and national levels, the decision as to who the governorship candidate of Kaduna State, whether Barrister Mohammed Sani Abbas or Senator Danjuma Tella La’ah, has not been taken,” he had said.

INEC had not responded to the chairman’s explanation as of the time of filing the report.

SDP, NNPP candidates affected in other states

The omissions have also affected candidates of other parties in several states.

In Benue State, the SDP governorship candidate, Prof Sebastine Hon (SAN), was missing from INEC’s list of 13 candidates.

The party’s state chairman, Idoko Itodo, described the omission as a possible error and expressed confidence that the commission would correct it.

“The omission of our governorship candidate on the latest list must be an error; it has nothing to do with the Supreme Court judgment because our candidate had registered as a party member before the deadline for submission of party membership,” Itodo said.

He maintained that Hon had fulfilled the party membership requirements and said the party would take up the matter with INEC.

In Bauchi State, the SDP said it would convene an emergency meeting to discuss the omission of some candidates, including its governorship candidate.

The party’s state chairman, Nasiru Dan-Bauchi, linked the development to the party’s internal crisis, adding that the state chapter would communicate its position to the national leadership after deliberations.

The NNPP also appealed for calm following the omission of its Bauchi governorship candidate, Ambassador Shuaibu Ahmed.

The party’s state chairman, Abdulkareem Matori, said the NNPP believed the omission was inadvertent and was taking steps to engage INEC and other relevant authorities.

“The NNPP understands the disquiet and apprehension this omission has raised among our teeming supporters across Bauchi State,” Matori said.

He urged members and supporters to remain united and focused on grassroots mobilisation, expressing confidence that the matter would be resolved through lawful channels.

“We are confident that the matter will be addressed through the appropriate lawful channels. Amb. Shuaibu Ahmed remains in the race and shall be Bauchi State Governor come 2027,” he said.

In Plateau State, PDP governorship aspirant Sunday Biggs was also missing from the list, while Ropshik Wungak appeared as the party’s candidate, with Kim Dung listed as his running mate.

A PDP official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, linked the development to the leadership dispute between factions associated with FCT Minister Nyesom Wike and Tanimu Turaki.

The dispute was pending before the Court of Appeal, according to the official, who said the matter remained unresolved.

“We have no problem with his missing name. Don’t forget the matter is still in court. In fact, there was a hearing last week because we have this case between Wike and Turaki group which is still pending in the Court of Appeal,” the official said.

In Nasarawa State, the Accord Party’s governorship candidate, Shuaibu Kubi, was not listed. Bukhari Nata’ala of the Action Alliance, whose name had appeared on an earlier list, was also missing from the final publication.

Party nomination disputes raise further questions

Beyond the alleged technical and administrative errors, disputes over party nominations and candidate substitutions have also emerged as a major source of controversy.

In Lagos State, attention has focused on disagreements within the ruling APC over the selection of candidates for legislative seats.

In Agege Constituencies I and II, Ganiyu Egunjobi and Azeez Ninalowo reportedly won the party’s primaries but were subsequently dropped from its final tickets.

Both politicians later defected to the Allied Peoples Movement, while the names of their replacements appeared on INEC’s final list.

Another prominent case involved Noheem Adams, the Lagos State House of Assembly Majority Leader.

Adams reportedly won the APC primary for Eti-Osa Constituency I with 7,638 votes, defeating Saheed Bankole, who secured 1,225 votes. Adams was subsequently displaced by Bankole, whose name appeared as the party’s candidate on INEC’s published list.

In Oyo State, the SDP candidate, Mogaji Agboola, was omitted after the party reportedly replaced its earlier candidate, Michael Okunlade.

The development raised concerns among party stakeholders, while other candidates on the list faced separate nomination disputes.

In Borno State, the NDC said several of its candidates, particularly those seeking seats in the state House of Assembly, were missing from the list.

The party’s Publicity Secretary, Aliyu Balarabe, said the state chapter was still identifying the affected candidates before deciding on a collective response.

“There are a lot of issues, but I can’t talk about it for now. It is just like an internal crisis,” he said.

Balarabe added that some names on the state Assembly list were unfamiliar to the state chapter, including that of a candidate he said was from Adamawa State.

The ADC, however, said all its candidates in Borno State had been included on the list.

Age requirement explains Kwara exclusion

Not all the omissions have been attributed to technical errors or administrative lapses.

In Kwara State, the African Action Congress governorship candidate, Duwatsu Musa, was excluded after INEC determined that he had not attained the constitutionally prescribed minimum age for the office.

Musa confirmed to The PUNCH on Sunday that he was 34 and would turn 35 in February 2027.

“I am currently 34, but will clock 35 next February,” he said.

Section 177(b) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, stipulates that a person must have attained the age of 35 to qualify for election as governor.

Reacting to his exclusion in a Facebook post on Saturday, Musa said the decision would not prevent him from expressing his political views ahead of the election.

“INEC has removed my name from the final list on the grounds of age, but this will not stop me from making my political position known,” he said.

He added that he would announce in the coming days the candidate he and his supporters intended to support, as well as their political direction.

Musa also urged party members and supporters to remain calm and united.

Electoral commission faces pressure to clarify omissions

The range of cases has exposed the different circumstances behind the missing names, from alleged registration errors and disputed party tickets to unresolved court cases and constitutional eligibility requirements.

While affected parties are seeking explanations and corrections, their claims that INEC made administrative or technical errors have not been independently established in every case. The commission had yet to publicly confirm several of the explanations offered by party officials as of the time of filing the report.

The immediate challenge for the affected parties is to establish the circumstances surrounding each omission and determine whether the matter can be resolved through administrative engagement or requires legal intervention.

For INEC, the controversy places a premium on transparency and clear communication about the status of candidates whose names are missing from the final list.

With the 2027 elections approaching, the outcome of the disputes could determine whether the affected politicians appear on the ballot or lose the opportunity to contest.

Ultimately, the resolution of the cases will depend on the applicable electoral rules, the circumstances of each nomination and the legal remedies available to the parties and candidates involved.

Follow Very Nigerian WhatsApp Channel
For Verified Breaking News, Exclusive Reports, Trending Stories, And Real-time Updates.
CLICk HERE TO JOIN!