The Supreme Court judgment upholding Electoral Act provisions on party membership registers has cast uncertainty over the participation of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidates in Gombe and Ogun states in the February 6, 2027 election.
‎Relying on the judgment, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has expunged the names of two PDP governorship candidates, Isa Pantami and Ladi Adebutu for Gombe and Ogun States respectively. Similarly, the electoral umpire also dropped the name of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) governorship candidate in Kano State, Aminu Gwarzo from the final list.
‎‎The development has raised questions about the implications of the apex court’s September 24 ruling for the electoral contests in the three states.
‎The ruling in INEC v. Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), restored the validity of Sections 77(5), (6) and (7), as well as Section 84(2) of the Electoral Act 2026.
‎‎”The provisions restrict political parties from sponsoring candidates whose names were not contained in their membership registers submitted to INEC within the stipulated period,” the court held.
‎‎The omission of Pantami in Gombe, Adebutu in Ogun and Gwarzo in Kano means that none of the three candidates is currently listed by INEC to contest the governorship election on their respective party platforms.
‎‎”Unless the omissions are successfully addressed through the applicable legal and electoral processes, the affected parties could be left without their preferred candidates on the 2027 ballot,” analysts noted.
‎‎INEC’s final lists, signed by its Secretary, Rose Oriaran-Anthony, and published on the commission’s website, showed 16 governorship candidates in Gombe and 13 in Ogun, with no PDP candidate listed in either state.
‎‎Although the commission did not publicly state the specific reasons for omitting the candidates, the Supreme Court remained the only legal grounds for the disqualification of the candidates.
‎‎In Gombe, Pantami, who defected from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the PDP on May 19, had initially appeared on INEC’s provisional list published on August 29. His emergence as the PDP candidate followed a rerun primary on September 29, which he won against Khamisu Mailantarki and Usman Aliyu Garry. The rerun was conducted after a Federal High Court in Gombe nullified an earlier primary following a challenge by Ahmed Mailantarki, one of the aspirants who contested the PDP ticket.
‎‎However, the subsequent primary did not resolve the separate question of compliance with the membership-register provisions of the Electoral Act, which became central following the Supreme Court judgment.
‎‎Reacting to his omission, Pantami described the development as a temporary challenge in the electoral process and urged his supporters to remain calm.
‎‎In a statement signed by Professor Suleiman Mohammed Gombe, his camp said “its legal and liaison teams were engaging with relevant PDP organs and INEC to ensure compliance with the court order and correct the omission within the period allowed by law.”
‎‎In Ogun, the absence of Adebutu and his running mate, Kolapo-Sowunmi, from the final list has placed the status of the PDP’s governorship ticket in doubt. Speculation has centred on whether Adebutu’s name was included in the membership register submitted to INEC, although the commission has not publicly confirmed that as the reason for the omission.
‎‎The Ogun PDP has rejected any suggestion that its candidate failed to meet the membership requirements, alleging that the ruling party mounted pressure on INEC to exclude him.
‎‎The party’s publicity secretary, Kayode Adebayo, said “Adebutu registered within the stipulated period, adding that his membership card was printed, verified and submitted to the commission on time.”
‎The party urged residents to remain calm, expressing confidence that the omission would be resolved.
‎‎In Kano, Gwarzo’s omission similarly leaves the NDC without a listed governorship candidate in the final register. Although state chairman, Husaini Mairiga maintains that Gwarzo remains the party’s candidate, the position does not, by itself, establish that he can appear on the ballot without the necessary resolution of the issue.
‎‎For Gombe and Ogun, the PDP faces the prospect of entering the governorship contests without the candidates it nominated, while the NDC faces a similar challenge in Kano. The omissions could also reshape the political contests by leaving the affected parties with fewer options as the election approaches, depending on whether any lawful remedy remains available.
‎‎Under Section 32(2) of the Electoral Act 2026, “political parties have 14 days to notify INEC in writing, accompanied by an affidavit, where a nominated candidate’s name is missing.”
‎‎The precise application of that provision to the circumstances of the three candidates, and whether any corrective action can still be taken, will be critical to determining their final status.
‎‎INEC released the final list following a commitment by its chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, to publish the candidates cleared for the February 6, 2027 governorship elections. The commission’s next steps, alongside any legal action or corrective measures pursued by the affected parties, will determine whether the omissions stand and how the development affects the electoral contests in Gombe, Ogun and Kano.