The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has dismissed a petition filed by Ladi Adebutu, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, governorship hopeful in Ogun State, over his exclusion from the list of candidates for the 2027 elections.
The commission took the decision at its meeting on Thursday, where it considered complaints from political parties and candidates omitted from the published list.
While Adebutu failed to secure a reprieve, former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy Isa Ali Pantami and Abdulsalam Gwarzo, the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, governorship candidate in Kano State, were cleared to contest, with Gwarzo’s clearance pending the determination of court cases.
A top INEC source said the commission received 69 petitions concerning the omission of governorship and State House of Assembly candidates, with about 36 succeeding.
According to the source, Pantami was cleared outright, while Gwarzo’s clearance was conditional on the outcome of litigation instituted over his exclusion.
Adebutu, however, was unsuccessful.
“The Ogun PDP candidate did not succeed,” the source said, confirming that his name would not be restored to the list.
The development is linked to INEC’s enforcement of Section 77(5)–(7) of the Electoral Act 2026, which mandates political parties to submit their membership registers.
The commission’s position was strengthened by a Supreme Court judgement delivered on September 24, 2026, which upheld the provision as constitutional.
It was learnt that Gwarzo, in a suit filed on October 20, 2026, asked the court to declare his exclusion and that of his running mate, Rabiu Mustapha, unlawful and compel INEC to recognise them as the NDC’s governorship candidates in Kano State.
Pantami’s case is before the court, with a hearing expected on Friday.
Adebutu had argued that he was a bona fide member of the PDP and had complied with all membership registration requirements.
