INEC updates election lists, approves Pantami, rejects Adebutu's appeal

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has included some candidates and political parties in its final lists for the 2027 general election after looking into petitions from candidates and their parties.

In a statement from its spokesperson, Mohammed Haruna, INEC mentioned it received 69 petitions from 12 political parties across 26 states about the governorship election. Out of these, 41 petitions were successful while the remaining 28 were rejected because they did not meet the required standards.

For State Houses of Assembly elections, INEC received 61 petitions from 11 political parties in 11 states. Among these, 25 were successful and 36 were rejected.

These decisions came after political parties and candidates complained when INEC published its final lists of governorship and State Houses of Assembly candidates on 10 October. The commission reviewed these complaints along with relevant records and legal rules before making their decisions.

Mr Haruna said INEC approved the inclusion of candidates and parties where the complaints had merit. They also took out candidates whose names were wrongly published or whose nominations did not meet legal requirements.

“The complaints were about the omission of certain political parties, the wrongful inclusion of candidates whose names were not in the membership registers submitted by their parties, and cases of alleged multiple nominations,” the statement said.

“After reviewing the complaints, relevant records, and legal provisions, the Commission found merit in some cases and approved the inclusion of affected candidates and their parties. Complaints found to be baseless were declined. Some names wrongly published in the final list were also removed after confirming they were not on the register.”

Pantami’s petition succeeds, Adebutu loses

INEC spokesperson, Mr Haruna, told TheCable that Isa Pantami’s petition was successful while Ladi Adebutu’s request for a review of his exclusion was rejected.

Mr Haruna also mentioned that Mr Pantami’s inclusion depends on the outcome of a court case still pending.

“Those ones that I can tell you immediately. That of Kano in NNPP was successful; Pantami was successful, but you know that there are pending cases and it depends on the outcomes of the court cases, but Ladi Adebutu did not succeed this phase,” Mr Haruna told TheCable.

Mr Pantami, a former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, is the PDP governorship candidate in Gombe State. Mr Adebutu is the party’s candidate in Ogun State. Both were excluded when INEC published its final list of governorship candidates, which left the PDP without candidates in these two states.

PREMIUM TIMES reported that the exclusions came after a Supreme Court judgment on 24 September, which restored Sections 77(5), 77(6), 77(7) and 84(2) of the Electoral Act 2026.

These sections require political parties to submit their membership registers to INEC on time and limit participation in party primaries to members whose names are on the submitted registers.

Other petitions

INEC said the review also looked into complaints about the wrongful inclusion of candidates whose names were not in the membership registers submitted by their parties, alleged multiple nominations, and the omission of some political parties.

The commission stated that some candidates who were wrongly included in the original lists had been removed after verification.

It added that decisions regarding State Houses of Assembly candidates were based on specific complaints and made according to the law and its established rules.

The commission said the affected candidates, parties, and states will be listed in an updated version on its website.

The 2027 governorship elections are set for 6 February, while the presidential and National Assembly elections will take place on 16 January.