2027 Elections: INEC Sets October 24 Deadline as Adebutu, Pantami Face Governorship List Exclusion

2027 Elections: INEC Sets October 24 Deadline as Adebutu, Pantami Face Governorship List Exclusion

By Akin Alade

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has set October 24, 2026, as the deadline for political parties to challenge the omission of their governorship candidates from the final list for the 2027 elections, placing renewed pressure on affected parties to resolve their electoral compliance issues before the race gathers momentum.

The commission’s clarification follows the exclusion of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidates Ladi Adebutu in Ogun State and Isa Ali Pantami in Gombe State from the final list for the February 6, 2027, governorship elections. Their respective running mates were also omitted, leaving the PDP without listed governorship candidates in the two states.

INEC explained that the omissions were connected to the failure of political parties to comply with statutory requirements governing the submission of membership registers. In a statement issued on Tuesday, October 13, the commission’s National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Kudu Haruna, said the decision followed the Supreme Court’s September 24 judgment affirming the relevant provisions of the Electoral Act 2026.

The judgment upheld Sections 77(5), 77(6) and 77(7) of the Electoral Act, which regulate party membership registers and eligibility to participate in party primaries. INEC had earlier directed political parties to submit their membership registers between April 21 and May 10, 2026. According to the commission, parties that failed to meet the statutory requirements could not validly sponsor candidates for the affected elections.

For Adebutu, the development presents another challenge to the Ogun PDP’s preparations for the governorship contest. Questions had previously been raised by groups alleging that his name was missing from the party membership register submitted to INEC. The Ogun PDP, however, rejected the allegations and maintained that Adebutu was a duly registered member and that the party had complied with the relevant requirements.

Pantami’s exclusion comes against the background of a separate dispute over the PDP governorship primary in Gombe. After a Federal High Court ordered a fresh primary, the former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy emerged as the party’s candidate in the rerun conducted on September 29. His subsequent omission from INEC’s final list has further complicated the opposition party’s preparations in the state.

The October 24 deadline now provides a limited window for affected parties to formally notify INEC if they believe their candidates were wrongly omitted. Under Section 32(2) of the Electoral Act 2026, the notification must be made in writing and supported by an affidavit. Whether the PDP can successfully address the commission’s concerns will depend on the relevant documentation, the circumstances of each nomination and compliance with the law.

The controversy has also renewed debate about the relationship between party administration, membership records and electoral eligibility. While political parties are responsible for managing their internal processes, the commission maintains that candidates must emerge through procedures that satisfy the applicable legal requirements. The final outcome could have significant implications for the PDP’s participation in two strategically important governorship contests.

With the deadline approaching, attention will shift to the responses of the affected parties and any further clarification from INEC. The commission has reiterated its commitment to transparency, the rule of law and credible elections, while the legal and administrative steps taken before October 24 could prove decisive for the affected tickets ahead of the 2027 polls.