The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has omitted the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) governorship candidates in Gombe and Ogun states, Professor Isa Ali Pantami and Oladipupo Ladi Adebutu, respectively, from its final list of candidates for the February 6, 2027 governorship elections.
The omissions leave the PDP without a listed governorship candidate in either state, intensifying concerns over the opposition party’s nomination process and its preparedness for the forthcoming elections.
INEC published the final lists on Saturday, October 10, with the Gombe document containing 16 governorship candidates and their running mates, while the Ogun list features 13 tickets. Neither list includes the PDP’s candidates or their respective running mates.
But there is a slight confusion from Kano State following reports that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) omitted Aminu Gwarzo, the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) governorship candidate in Kano State, from its final list of candidates.
INEC had not publicly stated the specific reason for excluding Gwarzo at the time of those reports.
The NDC’s Kano State spokesperson, Yusif Fasaha, said on October 11 that the omission was caused by a computer glitch at INEC, not a failure by the party to complete its nomination process. He said the party had contacted INEC and expected a corrected list to be released. This is the party’s account; independent confirmation from INEC has not been established.
The development comes amid legal disputes over party primaries, membership registration and compliance with electoral requirements ahead of the 2027 polls.
Gombe: Pantami’s exclusion follows disputed primaries
Pantami, a former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, emerged as the PDP’s governorship candidate in Gombe following a fresh primary election conducted on September 29.
The fresh exercise followed legal challenges to his earlier emergence as the party’s flagbearer. Some PDP aspirants had challenged the process, arguing that it did not comply with party procedures and applicable electoral laws.
The Supreme Court subsequently restored provisions of the Electoral Act 2026 governing participation in party primaries and the submission of membership registers to INEC within the prescribed period.
Despite winning the fresh primary, Pantami’s name was absent from the final list signed by INEC Secretary, Rose Oriaran-Anthony.
The commission’s published document did not expressly state why his name and that of his running mate were omitted.
However, the development has raised questions about whether the party’s nomination process satisfied the applicable legal requirements.
Pantami’s campaign organisation and the Pantamiyya Movement described the omission as a temporary challenge and urged supporters to remain calm. In a statement reported by Channels Television, the campaign said its legal and liaison teams were engaging the relevant party organs and INEC to seek a resolution.
The campaign expressed confidence that the issue could be resolved within the period allowed by law.
Ogun: Adebutu, running mate missing
In Ogun State, INEC’s final list also excludes Adebutu and his running mate, Alhaja Yemi Sowunmi-Kolapo.
The list contains candidates from 13 political parties, including the All Progressives Congress (APC), African Democratic Congress (ADC), Accord Party, Action Alliance and other parties.
The APC’s governorship candidate, Senator Olamilekan Adeola, popularly known as Yayi, and his running mate, Kudirat Balogun, are among those listed.
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Adebutu’s omission follows allegations that his name was missing from the PDP membership register submitted to INEC. Some groups had questioned his eligibility on that basis.
The Ogun PDP, however, has rejected the allegations, maintaining that Adebutu remained a registered member of the party and that his membership details were processed and submitted within the stipulated period.
In a statement issued on October 11, the party’s state publicity secretary, Kayode Adebayo, accused the ruling APC of exerting undue pressure on INEC, alleging that the omission was politically motivated.
Adebayo urged party members and supporters to remain calm, expressing confidence that Adebutu’s name would eventually be published.
The omission of both candidates leaves the PDP without a listed governorship ticket in Ogun unless the situation is lawfully resolved.
Rivers: APC candidate’s eligibility comes under scrutiny
Rivers State has also attracted attention following the listing of Kingsley Chinda as the APC’s governorship candidate.
Chinda, a member of the House of Representatives and an ally of Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike, was listed by INEC despite questions about the timing of his movement from the PDP to the APC.
Reports indicate that Chinda registered with the APC on April 27, 2026, and publicly announced his defection on June 2, while the APC had conducted its governorship primary on May 21.
The sequence has prompted questions about whether he satisfied the statutory membership requirements at the time of the primary and whether his name appeared on the party’s membership register submitted to INEC within the required period.
The Rivers APC has defended his candidacy, maintaining that it is valid.
Unlike the omissions in Gombe and Ogun, Chinda’s inclusion means the controversy concerns his eligibility rather than an absent name on the final list. Available reports do not establish that INEC has disqualified him or that a court has invalidated his nomination.
Other states: INEC publishes candidates across the country
Beyond the three states attracting particular attention, INEC’s final candidate lists cover the 28 states scheduled to hold governorship elections in February 2027.
The commission’s published lists include candidates from several parties, with the APC, PDP, ADC and other political organisations represented across different states.
According to the candidate figures, the lists contain:
20 candidates in Akwa Ibom and 18 each in Adamawa, Delta and Lagos.
17 each in Abia, Kano and Rivers.
16 each in Enugu, Gombe and Kaduna.
15 each in Bauchi, Niger, Plateau, Sokoto and Zamfara.
14 in Kebbi and 13 each in Borno, Jigawa, Nasarawa and Yobe.
Other states listed include Benue with 12 candidates, Cross River with eight, Ebonyi with 12, Katsina with 11, Kwara with 12, Oyo with 16 and Taraba with 12.
INEC’s publication of the lists provides voters and political parties with an official reference for the forthcoming contests. The commission also maintains separate candidate lists for the various State Houses of Assembly elections.
The publication does not, by itself, establish that the PDP has been excluded from governorship contests in all the states listed. The confirmed omissions highlighted in the reports concern Gombe and Ogun, while the Rivers controversy involves a candidate whose name appears on the list.
Electoral law and the implications for the PDP
The disputes have brought renewed attention to the legal requirements governing political party membership, primaries and candidate nominations.
The Supreme Court’s decision restoring provisions of the Electoral Act 2026 has particular significance because it reinforces the requirement that participation in party primaries must comply with applicable rules, including the submission of membership registers within the statutory period.
The immediate question is whether the PDP can secure a lawful resolution of the omissions before the election and whether any further legal proceedings will affect the published lists.