*Gwarzo stays our candidate, Kano NDC insist
Ahmad Sorondinki in Kano
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has revealed its closing listing of candidates for the February 6, 2027 governorship elections, with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidates for Gombe and Ogun states, and the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) governorship candidate in Kano State, lacking.
However, INEC cleared the APC governorship candidate in Rivers State, Kingsley Chinda for the 2027 governorship election in the state.
Chinda was quantity 5 in the 19-man listing of Rivers State governorship candidates launched by the electoral fee.
The lists, signed by INEC Secretary, Rose Oriaran-Anthony and revealed on the INEC web site yesterday, confirmed 16 governorship candidates of different political events in Gombe State and 13 in Ogun State, and none of them was from the PDP.
The governorship candidates lacking have been Ali Pantami of PDP in Gombe State, Aminu Gwarzo of NDC in Kano State and Ladi Adebutu of PDP in Ogun State.
However, the Kano State Chairman of NDC, Alhaji Hussaini Mairiga, has insisted that Gwarzo stays the governorship candidate of the celebration in the state.
INEC didn’t publicly state the particular motive for dropping the candidates’ names however the choice was believed to be related to a Supreme Court ruling in the case of INEC v. Zenith Labour Party, which confirmed the continued validity of Section 77 of the Electoral Act 2026.
The fee launched the listing in line with the promise of its Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, who spoke at a press convention in Abuja early final week.
Pantami, who was on the provisional listing revealed on August 29, was lacking from the brand new listing.
Pantami had earlier emerged as a PDP candidate after dumping APC on May 19. But Ahmed Mailantarki, one of the aspirants who sought the PDP ticket, challenged his victory in court docket.
A Federal High Court in Gombe nullified the election and ordered a contemporary main, which he gained once more.
Pantami gained the rerun main performed on September 29, defeating Khamisu Mailantarki and Usman Aliyu Garry.
But his greatest impediment was the September 24 Supreme Court judgment, which restored Sections 77(5), (6), (7) and 84(2) of the Electoral Act 2026, barring events from fielding candidates whose names weren’t in the membership register submitted to INEC throughout the stipulated time.
While uncertainty trailed his participation in the election, Mohammed Haruna, an INEC National Commissioner, had hinted that in line with the Supreme Court ruling, some events wouldn’t discipline candidates in 2027.
Under Section 32(2) of the Electoral Act 2026, events have 14 days to inform INEC in writing, with an affidavit, if a nominated candidate’s identify is lacking.
In Kano State, Gwarzo’s removing from the ultimate listing means he can not contest the governorship election on the NDC platform.
In Ogun State, neither Adebutu nor his operating mate, Kolapo-Sowunmi, appeared in the listing, elevating questions in regards to the standing of the PDP’s governorship ticket forward of the ballot.
Speculations have emerged that Adebutu’s identify could not have been included in the celebration register submitted to INEC, as required beneath the provisions of the Electoral Act.
Hoever, the PDP has urged residents of the state to be calm and relaxation assured that its governorship candidate, Adebutu’s identify could be revealed by INEC and he’ll emerge because the Governor of Ogun State in the 2027 basic election.
A press release by the publicity Secretary of PDP in Ogun State, Kayode Adebayo urged the general public to be told that the omission of its candidate’s identify in the INEC’s listing was in consequence of the undue stress mounted by the ruling celebration on INEC out of concern of shedding the election to our celebration.
“We state emphatically that our candidate, Hon. Oladipupo Adebutu, who has by no means left the Peoples Democratic Party at any time duly registered as a member of the celebration throughout the designated interval of the digital registration along with his celebration membership card printed, verified and submitted to INEC on the stipulated time.
“While we urge the great folks of Ogun to not be perturbed nor distracted from our focus of voting out the APC, we stay resolute, unfazed and unwaveringly assured that our candidate is marching straight to a decisive victory in the Ogun 2027 Governorship election.
“No amount of desperate manipulation, political witch-hunts, or calculated distractions can alter the mandate of the people of Ogun State who are overwhelmingly eager for true leadership and positive change.”
Reacting to the omission of his identify from the ultimate listing of candidates, Pantami, in a press release shared on his private social media handles, assured his supporters that efforts have been underway to resolve the problem, describing the omission as a short lived problem in the electoral course of.
In the assertion signed by Professor Suleiman Mohammed Gombe, he stated the event has reportedly raised questions amongst supporters of the PDP and the Pantamiyya Movement throughout Gombe and past.
He urged supporters to stay calm and hopeful, insisting that the omission didn’t signify a closing dedication of the matter.
According to the camp, its authorized and liaison groups are partaking with related organs of the PDP and INEC to make sure compliance with the court docket order and proper the omission throughout the interval allowed by legislation.
Gwarzo Remains Our Candidate, Says Kano NDC Chairman
Meanwhile, the Kano State Chairman of NDC, Alhaji Hussaini Mairiga, final evening dismissed any notion of a change in the celebration’s ticket, insisting that the construction of the ticket remained fully intact as initially deliberate.
Speaking throughout a phone interview, Mairiga insisted that the joint ticket of NDC’s gubernatorial candidate and his operating mate, Mustapha Rabiu Kwankwaso, was duly processed, finalised, and submitted to the electoral physique in strict accordance with all established electoral tips and statutory deadlines.
“Gwarzo’s name was submitted to INEC, and he and his running mate, Mustapha Rabiu Kwankwaso, are the authentic flag bearers of the party,” Mairiga said emphatically, reiterating the celebration’s unwavering backing for his or her chosen candidates.
Addressing the discrepancies noticed in the newly revealed listing, the chairman attributed the event to administrative friction quite than an official rejection by the fee.
He instructed that human error or a logistical miscommunication throughout the broader bureaucratic course of seemingly triggered the anomaly.
“I believe there is a mix-up somewhere, and I do not think the list is from the commission, since we are sure that the name we submitted is what stands,” Mairiga added.
