The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) have expressed disappointment over the Independent National Electoral Commission's (INEC) omission of their governorship candidates in Ogun, Gombe, and Kano states from the final list of candidates for the 2027 elections. The affected candidates include Ladi Adebutu of the PDP in Ogun State, Prof. Isa Ali Pantami in Gombe State, and Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo of the NDC in Kano State. Their running mates were also reportedly excluded from the list published by INEC.
The omission has triggered protests and calls for clarification, with the affected candidates attributing the exclusions to errors and, in Adebutu's case, alleging political interference. INEC's Oyo State office insisted that the commission published the names submitted by the political parties. The development has raised concerns about the integrity of the electoral process, with many calling for INEC to clarify the circumstances surrounding the disputed entries.
The NDC has threatened to take legal action to secure the inclusion of its candidate, Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo, and his running mate, Mustapha Rabi'u Musa Kwankwaso, in the list. The party's National Publicity Secretary, Osa Director, stated that the party would explore all available legal options to address the development. The party's Kano State Chairman, Hussaini Isah Mairiga, attributed the omission to a technical error and expressed confidence that it would be resolved.
In Kano, INEC's state office claimed that it had forwarded the names of aspirants to the commission's national headquarters. The commission's Head of Department, Election and Party Monitoring in Kano, Hajiya Hauwa, disclosed this during a telephone conversation. She directed further enquiries to the national headquarters, explaining that the state office had compiled and forwarded the names before the final list was published in Abuja.
The PDP and NDC have demanded that INEC explain the circumstances surrounding the disputed entries and ensure that electoral rules are applied fairly. Civil society organisations have also urged INEC to take swift action to resolve the issue. The affected candidates, including the Social Democratic Party's governorship candidates in Oyo and Benue states, have expressed confidence that the omissions would be resolved.
The omission of the NDC candidates in Kano has sparked concerns about the party's chances in the upcoming elections. The party's Kano State Chairman, Hussaini Isah Mairiga, claimed that the omission had also affected some of the party's candidates in other states, including Kaduna and Katsina. He insisted that Gwarzo had fulfilled the party's membership requirements and remained qualified to contest on its platform.
As the controversy continues, INEC faces mounting pressure to clarify the situation and ensure that all eligible candidates are included in the final list. The commission's national headquarters is yet to comment on the issue, but it is expected to take a decisive action to resolve the matter and maintain the integrity of the electoral process.
Key points
- NDC threatens legal action over omission of candidate from INEC list
- INEC faces pressure to clarify circumstances surrounding disputed entries
- Affected candidates express confidence that omissions will be resolved
