On Thursday night, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) reportedly gave provisional clearance to two gubernatorial candidates for the 2027 elections: former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy Prof. Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Gombe State, and Abdulsalam Gwarzo of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) in Kano State.
The decision, made at an INEC meeting that reviewed complaints from parties and candidates omitted from the preliminary lists, is contingent on the outcomes of ongoing court cases. INEC officials did not immediately respond to inquiries, but a source confirmed that the commission had no objection to the candidates’ eligibility, though legal proceedings could still alter the final outcome.
Pantami’s supporters seized key areas in Gombe to celebrate the development. The candidate had previously been dropped from the final list of governorship contenders, though he remained on the provisional list released on 29 August. Pantami, who left the All Progressives Congress (APC) on 19 May to secure the PDP ticket, had his primary nullified by a Federal High Court after a challenge from fellow aspirant Ahmed Mailantarki Mailantarki. A fresh primary was ordered, which Pantami won again.
The Supreme Court’s 24 September judgement reinstated Sections 77(5), (6), (7) and 84(2) of the Electoral Act 2026, which prohibit parties from fielding candidates whose names were not in the membership register submitted to INEC on time. This ruling has prompted INEC to scrutinise candidate lists more closely, a stance echoed by National Commissioner Mohammed Haruna.
Gwarzo, the NDC candidate for Kano, was also cleared provisionally, though the source did not provide further details on his legal status. Meanwhile, the PDP’s Ladi Adebutu, the governorship candidate for Ogun State, had a petition rejected by INEC after he sought a review of his exclusion from the candidate list.
As the 2027 elections approach, the provisional clearances for Pantami and Gwarzo underscore the complex interplay between electoral law and court rulings that will shape the final roster of candidates across Nigeria.
<small>Source: Vanguard News — read the original story there.</small>
