INEC Releases Final Guber List, Clears Pantami, Retains Court Order Against Gwarzo

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has included former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Professor Isa Ali Pantami, in its updated final list of governorship candidates for the 2027 general elections in Gombe State, while retaining a court-order restriction against the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) governorship ticket in Kano State.

The development is contained in the updated final list of governorship candidates published on the commission’s official website on Saturday, October 31, 2026.

The updated Gombe list identifies Pantami as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, with Haruna Ahmadu Hasan as his running mate.

However, the Kano State list still does not contain the names of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) governorship candidate, Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo, and his running mate, as INEC entered “Court Order” against the party’s governorship and deputy governorship positions.

The latest development follows a series of explanations and decisions by the electoral commission over the omission of some candidates from its initial final list published on October 10.

In a statement issued on October 13, INEC had explained that the exclusion of some candidates, including Pantami and the PDP governorship candidate in Ogun State, Ladi Adebutu, followed the Supreme Court judgment of September 24, 2026, which upheld the constitutionality of provisions of the Electoral Act 2026 requiring political parties to submit their membership registers to the commission within the stipulated period.

The commission said its decision was based on Sections 77(5) to (7) of the Electoral Act, which make compliance with the membership register requirements mandatory for political parties seeking to sponsor candidates in elections.

INEC also said political parties whose candidates were wrongly omitted from the published list could notify the commission within 14 days, in line with Section 32(2) of the Electoral Act, with October 24 fixed as the deadline for such complaints.

Following complaints from political parties and candidates, the commission subsequently announced on October 29 that it had reviewed petitions relating to the governorship and State Houses of Assembly candidates.

In the statement signed by the Chairman of its Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Kudu Haruna, INEC disclosed that it received 69 petitions from 12 political parties across 26 states concerning governorship candidates.

Of the petitions, 41 were successful, while 28 were rejected.

For the State Houses of Assembly elections, the commission said it received 61 petitions from 11 political parties across 11 states, out of which 25 succeeded and 36 were unsuccessful.

INEC explained that the complaints bordered on the omission of political parties, wrongful inclusion of candidates whose names were not contained in the membership registers submitted by their parties, and alleged multiple nominations.

It added that candidates whose nominations were found inconsistent with the applicable legal requirements were removed, while affected candidates and political parties whose petitions succeeded would be reflected in the updated lists.

The commission also reiterated its commitment to transparency, the rule of law and the credibility of the electoral process., and his running mate, as INEC entered “Court Order” against the party’s governorship and deputy governorship positions.

The latest development follows a series of explanations and decisions by the electoral commission over the omission of some candidates from its initial final list published on October 10.

In a statement issued on October 13, INEC had explained that the exclusion of some candidates, including Pantami and the PDP governorship candidate in Ogun State, Ladi Adebutu, followed the Supreme Court judgment of September 24, 2026, which upheld the constitutionality of provisions of the Electoral Act 2026 requiring political parties to submit their membership registers to the commission within the stipulated period.

The commission said its decision was based on Sections 77(5) to (7) of the Electoral Act, which make compliance with the membership register requirements mandatory for political parties seeking to sponsor candidates in elections.

INEC also said political parties whose candidates were wrongly omitted from the published list could notify the commission within 14 days, in line with Section 32(2) of the Electoral Act, with October 24 fixed as the deadline for such complaints.

Following complaints from political parties and candidates, the commission subsequently announced on October 29 that it had reviewed petitions relating to the governorship and State Houses of Assembly candidates.

In the statement signed by the Chairman of its Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Kudu Haruna, INEC disclosed that it received 69 petitions from 12 political parties across 26 states concerning governorship candidates.

Of the petitions, 41 were successful, while 28 were rejected.

For the State Houses of Assembly elections, the commission said it received 61 petitions from 11 political parties across 11 states, out of which 25 succeeded and 36 were unsuccessful.

INEC explained that the complaints bordered on the omission of political parties, wrongful inclusion of candidates whose names were not contained in the membership registers submitted by their parties, and alleged multiple nominations.

It added that candidates whose nominations were found inconsistent with the applicable legal requirements were removed, while affected candidates and political parties whose petitions succeeded would be reflected in the updated lists.

The commission also reiterated its commitment to transparency, the rule of law and the credibility of the electoral process.