The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has set October 24, 2026, as the deadline for political parties to report alleged errors in the 2027 candidate omissions, following growing controversy over the exclusion of several prominent politicians from its final governorship election list.
Among those affected are former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy Isa Ali Pantami, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in Gombe State, and Oladipupo Adebutu, the party’s candidate in Ogun State.
INEC explained that the omissions followed a Supreme Court judgment reinforcing the legal requirements for political party membership registration and candidate nominations.
Why INEC Omitted Some 2027 Governorship Candidates
According to an official clarification published by INEC, the commission acted in compliance with the Supreme Court’s September 24 judgment.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, October 13, INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Haruna, said the commission acted in compliance with the Supreme Court’s September 24 judgment.
The judgment upheld Sections 77(5), 77(6) and 77(7) of the Electoral Act, 2026, which require political parties to submit their membership registers within the prescribed period.
According to INEC, parties were expected to submit the registers between April 21 and May 10, 2026.
The commission explained that political parties that failed to comply with the requirements were ineligible to sponsor candidates for the elections.
Pantami, Adebutu and Other Candidates Missing From INEC List
The omission of prominent governorship candidates has generated political reactions across several states.
In Gombe State, Pantami was excluded despite winning a fresh PDP governorship primary conducted after a court invalidated his initial nomination.
In Ogun State, Adebutu and his running mate were absent from the published list, prompting the state’s PDP leadership to question the decision.
The Nigeria Democratic Congress governorship candidate in Kano State, Aminu Gwarzo, was also omitted.
Meanwhile, the African Democratic Congress in Jigawa State raised concerns over the exclusion of its endorsed deputy governorship candidate, Aminu Ringim, and other candidates.
What Political Parties Must Do Before October 24
Under Section 32(2) of the Electoral Act, 2026, political parties that believe their nominated candidates were wrongly excluded have 14 days from the publication of the final list to notify INEC.
The electoral commission confirmed October 24, 2026, as the deadline for submitting such notifications.
However, notifying INEC does not automatically guarantee that an omitted candidate will be reinstated.
Affected political parties must establish that their complaints have merit under the applicable electoral requirements.
What the Supreme Court Judgment Means for the 2027 Elections
The September 24 Supreme Court judgment has placed renewed attention on the procedures political parties follow when selecting candidates.
INEC said it applied the ruling when preparing the final governorship candidates’ list, in line with constitutional requirements for enforcing court decisions.
However, the commission explained that its final lists of presidential and National Assembly candidates had already been published on September 12, before the judgment.
With the governorship elections scheduled for February 6, 2027, the resolution of disputes surrounding excluded candidates could influence the final lineup in several states.
The October 24 deadline therefore represents an important stage for affected political parties seeking to secure their candidates’ inclusion ahead of the polls.
Can Omitted Candidates Still Contest the 2027 Elections?
The affected parties have an opportunity to notify INEC about alleged omissions before the deadline.
Whether individual candidates will eventually appear on the ballot will depend on the resolution of their complaints and any applicable legal proceedings.
As of October 14, INEC’s clarification does not amount to an announcement that the omitted candidates have been reinstated.
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