The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, says it will consider the fate of former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, Ladi Adebutu and other politicians omitted from its final list of candidates for the February 6, 2027 governorship elections at its next meeting on Thursday.
INEC National Commissioner, Mohammed Haruna, disclosed this in an exclusive conversation with newsmen on Wednesday.
Pantami is seeking the Gombe governorship on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, while Adebutu is contesting the Ogun governorship election under the Peoples Democratic Party.
Their names were omitted from the list published by the commission on October, alongside those of Aminu Gwarzo, the Nigeria Democratic Congress governorship candidate in Kano State, and Danjuma Laah, his counterpart in Kaduna State, among others.
INEC also excluded the governorship candidates of the Social Democratic Party, New Nigeria People’s Party, Action Alliance and Accord in Bauchi State.
The affected candidates are Abdullahi Yakubu, Musa Zubairu, Ahmed Shuaibu and Mohammed Aminu, respectively.
The omissions have triggered protests and legal actions by the affected politicians and their political parties, with uncertainty persisting over whether the commission will reconsider its decision.
INEC had attributed the exclusions to the failure of the affected political parties to submit their membership registers within the period prescribed by law.
The decision followed a Supreme Court judgment delivered on September 24, 2026, which upheld the constitutionality of Sections 77(5), 77(6) and 77(7) of the Electoral Act, 2026. The provisions require political parties to submit their membership registers to INEC before conducting valid primaries, congresses and conventions.
The commission explained that the apex court also affirmed the legality of its timetable requiring political parties to submit their membership registers between April 21 and May 10, 2026.
INEC stated that the court specifically upheld Item Two of its timetable and schedule of activities, which stipulated the submission period.
The commission maintained that political parties that failed to comply with the requirement were ineligible to sponsor candidates in the elections.
Thursday’s meeting is expected to determine the next steps regarding the affected candidates amid growing pressure from their parties and supporters.
