Political Earthquake: Top Aspirants Mysteriously Missing from INEC's Final Governorship List

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has released its final list of candidates for the February 6, 2027 governorship elections, notably omitting the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidates for Gombe and Ogun states, and the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) governorship candidate in Kano State. This development has sparked controversy and strong reactions from the affected parties, even as INEC cleared the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Rivers State, Kingsley Chinda, who appeared fifth on the 19-man list for his state.

The lists, signed by INEC Secretary Rose Oriaran-Anthony, were published on the INEC website. They showed 16 governorship candidates in Gombe State and 13 in Ogun State, none of whom were from the PDP. The missing candidates are Ali Pantami of PDP in Gombe State, Ladi Adebutu of PDP in Ogun State, and Aminu Gwarzo of NDC in Kano State. While INEC has not publicly stated the specific reasons for these omissions, the decisions are widely believed to be connected to a Supreme Court ruling in the case of INEC v. Zenith Labour Party, which affirmed the validity of Section 77 of the Electoral Act 2026, particularly concerning the submission of party membership registers within stipulated times. INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, had previously hinted at such scenarios at a press conference.

In Gombe State, Ali Pantami, who had appeared on the provisional list published on August 29, was notably absent from the final list. Pantami had earlier secured the PDP ticket after defecting from the APC on May 19, 2026. His victory was initially challenged in court by aspirant Ahmed Mailantarki, leading to a Federal High Court in Gombe nullifying the election and ordering a fresh primary, which Pantami subsequently won again on September 29. However, his most significant hurdle was the September 24 Supreme Court judgment, which reinstated Sections 77(5), (6), (7), and 84(2) of the Electoral Act 2026, effectively barring parties from fielding candidates whose names were not in the membership register submitted to INEC within the legally specified period. Reacting to his omission, Pantami assured his supporters via social media that efforts were underway to resolve what he described as a “temporary challenge.” A statement signed by Professor Suleiman Mohammed Gombe, on behalf of the PDP and Pantamiyya Movement, urged supporters to remain calm and hopeful, asserting that legal and liaison teams were engaging with relevant party organs and INEC to ensure compliance with court orders and rectify the omission. The statement also accused internal and external political opponents of trying to frustrate their ambitions. Other candidates listed for Gombe include Bala Tinka of ADC, Jamilu Gwamna of APC, and Babayo Kumo of NDC.

For Ogun State, Ladi Adebutu and his running mate, Kolapo-Sowunmi, were entirely missing from the 13 governorship candidates list, leaving the PDP without a candidate for the election. This omission follows allegations from civil society groups like the Ogun Democratic Accountability Forum and Elections Integrity Watch, which claimed Adebutu's name was absent from the PDP membership register submitted to INEC. Elections Integrity Watch even stated it obtained a certified true copy of the PDP membership register from INEC that did not include Adebutu's name. The PDP's Ogun State Publicity Secretary, Kayode Adebayo, initially refrained from commenting but later insisted that Adebutu had duly registered as a party member and his name was submitted to INEC. Adebayo attributed the omission to “undue pressure mounted by the ruling party on INEC out of fear of losing the election” and urged residents to remain calm, confident that Adebutu would emerge governor. Under Section 32(2) of the Electoral Act 2026, political parties have 14 days to notify INEC in writing, with an affidavit, if a nominated candidate’s name is missing. It remains unclear if the PDP has formally notified INEC or plans to challenge the list. The final list for Ogun includes candidates such as Adeola Olamilekan of APC and Lawal Adebisi of ADC (whose inclusion followed a court order), among others from various parties.

In Kano State, Aminu Gwarzo's removal from the final list means he cannot contest the governorship election on the NDC platform. However, Alhaji Hussaini Mairiga, the Kano State Chairman of NDC, firmly dismissed any notion of a change in the party’s ticket, insisting that Gwarzo remains the governorship candidate. Mairiga stated in a telephone interview that the joint ticket of Gwarzo and his running mate, Mustapha Rabiu Kwankwaso, was duly processed, finalized, and submitted to the electoral body in strict accordance with all established electoral guidelines and statutory deadlines. He emphatically added, “Gwarzo’s name was submitted to INEC, and he and his running mate, Mustapha Rabiu Kwankwaso, are the authentic flag bearers of the party.” Mairiga attributed the discrepancies in the newly published list to “administrative friction,” suggesting it was a result of human error or a logistical miscommunication within the bureaucratic process rather than an official rejection by the commission. He concluded, “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.”