INEC and Controversies Around Candidates’ Clearance for 2027 Polls

The dream of some candidates to participate in the 2027 governorship and state Houses of Assembly elections may be gradually slipping away following their inability to make the final list of candidates released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and even with the subsequent review of cases of affected candidates. Adedayo Akinwale reports.

With less than 100 days to the February 6, 2027 governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections, the controversies and uncertainty concerning the participation of some candidates in the elections continued following the refusal of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to clear some candidates to contest the elections.

On September 24, 2026, a Supreme Court judgement restored Sections 77(5), (6), (7) and 84(2) of the Electoral Act 2026. The provisions bar parties from fielding candidates whose names were not in the membership register submitted to INEC within the stipulated time.

In a unanimous judgement, a seven-member panel of the apex court allowed the appeal filed by the INEC and set aside the July 16 judgement of the Court of Appeal which had voided the provisions.

The apex court held that the provisions are not inconsistent with the 1999 Constitution, thereby restoring the May 5 decision of the Federal High Court, Abuja, which had dismissed the challenge brought by the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) in suit FHC/ABJ/509/2026. It also awarded N2 million costs against ZLP.

Section 77(5) of the Electoral Act provides that only persons whose names appear in a party’s membership register submitted to INEC not later than 21 days before a primary, congress or convention are eligible to participate in that exercise.

Also, Section 77(6) requires political parties to use the membership register submitted to INEC for their primaries, congresses and conventions; while Section 77(7) provides that a party that fails to submit its membership register within the stipulated period shall not be eligible to field a candidate for an election.

While Section 84(2) provides that political parties shall nominate candidates through direct primaries or consensus.

Though, the electoral body clarified that the judgement does not automatically disqualify individual candidates, but relates to the eligibility of political parties to participate where they fail to comply with statutory requirements on membership registers.

However, on October 10, 2026, the electoral body dropped the names of some governorship, as well as State Houses of Assembly candidates when it released the final list of candidates for the 2027 governorship election 2027 in line with the Supreme Court ruling.

Notable names that were dropped from the list by INEC included the former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof. Isa Pantami and Ladi Adebutu, both of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Pantami emerged as the candidate of PDP after quitting the All Progressives Congress (APC) on May 19. But one of the aspirants who sought the PDP ticket, Ahmed Mailantarki challenged Pantami’s victory in court.

A Federal High Court sitting in Gombe nullified the election and ordered a fresh primary, which Pantami won again.

In the case of Adebutu, he was the governorship candidate of the PDP in Ogun State. Also, the governorship candidate of the New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP) in Oyo state, Adebiyi Adedapo was also dropped from the INEC’s list.

On October 29, INEC announced that it had reinstated 66 governorship and state Houses of Assembly candidates after the review of the final list for the 2027 general election.

INEC National Commission and Chairman of Information and Voter Education Committee (IVEC), Mohammed Haruna, in a statement issued last Thursday said the commission received complaints bordering on omission of political parties, wrongful inclusion of candidates whose names were not in the membership registers submitted by their parties, and alleged multiple nominations.

He explained that after reviewing the complaints in line with relevant records and legal provisions, it found merit in some petitions and approved the inclusion of the affected candidates and parties, while others were declined for lacking merit.

Haruna confirmed that some names wrongfully published in the final list have been removed after verification showed they were not on their party registers, while other candidates were removed for non-compliance with legal requirements for nomination.

Giving a breakdown, he revealed that a total of 69 petitions were received from 12 political parties across 26 states in respect of the Governorship election, out of which 41 succeeded and 28 failed.

The National Commissioner noted that for the State Houses of Assembly, 61 petitions were received from 11 political parties across 11 states, with 25 succeeding and 36 failing.

He stated: “Following a review of the complaints, relevant records and applicable legal provisions, the Commission found merit in some representations and approved the inclusion of affected candidates and their political parties, while complaints found to be without merit were declined.”

The commission assured that the affected candidates, political parties and states would be reflected in the updated list on the Commission’s website.

While INEC did not give names of the candidates reinstated in its statement, there were indications that Pantami eventually scaled the hurdle, while Adebutu’s fate remains unknown.

In the case of NNPP’s Adebiyi, he was sold out by the Chairman and Secretary of the party who allegedly wrote a letter withdrawing from the race and having him replaced by another candidate.

Adebiyi told THISDAY that his signature was allegedly forged, an affidavit written in his name without his consent.

The development surrounding the candidates that are yet to be cleared by the electoral umpire has prevented some candidates from campaigning or scheduling their electoral activities despite the election coming up in less than 100 days.

This has put the ambition of some of the candidates in jeopardy. With the recent review of the final list of candidates, the political ambition of some of the candidates as far as 2927 general election is concerned is all but over.