The release of the final list of candidates for the 2027 general elections by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has triggered mixed reactions, with some prominent politicians making the list while others, including former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, and Ogun State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, Ladi Adebutu, were conspicuously absent.
Former Deputy Senate President Ovie Omo-Agege, former Delta State House of Assembly Speaker Victor Ochei, and Rivers State governorship candidate Kingsley Chinda were among the politicians whose names appeared on the list despite concerns surrounding their nominations following a recent Supreme Court judgment.
The omissions have heightened political tension in affected states, with the Ogun PDP accusing the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of influencing INEC’s decision, while Pantami’s camp has appealed for calm, describing the development as a temporary setback.
The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) governorship candidate in Kano State, Aminu Gwarzo, was also missing from the published list.
INEC uploaded the names of candidates for the presidential, governorship and National Assembly elections to its website on Saturday, marking a major milestone in preparations for the 2027 polls.
A review of the list by Sunday PUNCH showed that 18 presidential candidates had been listed for the election.
Among the prominent presidential candidates are President Bola Tinubu of the APC, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Peter Obi of the NDC, African Action Congress candidate Omoyele Sowore, and Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, who is listed under the Allied Peoples Movement.
The publication also covers governorship candidates in 26 states, including Abia, Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Bauchi, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Ebonyi, Enugu, Gombe, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Kwara, Lagos, Nasarawa, Ogun, Oyo, Plateau, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe, Rivers and Zamfara.
Pantami’s absence raises questions in Gombe
Pantami’s omission from the list has raised concerns over the PDP’s participation in the Gombe State governorship election, despite his victory in a fresh primary conducted after a court ruling invalidated his initial nomination.
The Federal High Court in Gombe had nullified Pantami’s earlier emergence as the PDP candidate and ordered a fresh primary following a suit filed by Usman Aliyu Garry.
Garry had argued that the PDP failed to conduct a valid governorship primary before announcing Pantami as its candidate on June 26, 2026.
He maintained that the party’s decision to adopt Pantami without conducting the required primary violated its guidelines and relevant electoral laws.
In her judgment, Justice Amina Aliyu Mohammed directed the PDP to conduct a fresh primary in accordance with its guidelines and applicable laws.
Following the ruling, the party held a rerun primary on Tuesday across the 114 wards in Gombe State’s 11 local government areas.
Pantami won the exercise with 2,024 votes, defeating former House of Representatives member Khamisu Mailantarki, who scored 389 votes, and Garry, who polled 112 votes.
Despite his victory, Pantami’s name and that of the PDP were absent from INEC’s published list of governorship candidates for the state.
Reacting to the development, the spokesperson for the Pantamiyya Movement, Professor Suleiman Mohammed, urged supporters to remain calm, insisting that the omission did not represent a final decision on the former minister’s political future.
In a statement published on Pantami’s Facebook account, Mohammed said the camp was aware of the development and remained hopeful that the issue would be resolved as the electoral process progressed.
“This is a temporary challenge and a normal part of the electoral process, not a final determination, in sha Allah,” the statement said.
However, the statement did not disclose the legal or administrative steps Pantami and the PDP intended to take to address the omission.
INEC’s published list identified Bala Bello of the ADC, Ardo Kumo of the NDC and Gwamna Isyaku of the APC as governorship candidates in Gombe State.
Ogun PDP alleges plot against Adebutu
In Ogun State, the PDP accused the APC of mounting pressure on INEC to exclude Adebutu from the final list, alleging that the ruling party was concerned about its chances in the forthcoming governorship election.
The allegation was contained in a statement issued by the party’s state Publicity Secretary, Kayode Adebayo, who urged party members and residents not to panic over the omission.
The PDP insisted that Adebutu remained its duly nominated candidate and expressed confidence that his name would eventually be published by the electoral commission.
According to the party, Adebutu registered as a member within the stipulated period, obtained a printed membership card, underwent verification and submitted the required information to INEC before the deadline.
The party maintained that the omission would not discourage its efforts to challenge the APC in the 2027 election.
“The public should be informed that the omission of our candidate’s name in INEC’s list is as a result of the undue pressure mounted by the ruling party on INEC out of fear of losing the election,” the statement said.
The allegation had not been independently established in the report.
Adebutu was not the only Ogun State politician missing from the list. His running mate, Alhaja Yemi Sowunmi-Kolapo, was also absent, alongside the Accord Party governorship candidate, Alhaji Olaniyi Agbongboakala.
Meanwhile, 13 governorship candidates were listed for Ogun State. They include Solomon Adeola, popularly known as Yayi, of the APC; Jimi Lawal of the ADC; Babajide Rotimi of the Allied Peoples Movement; Adenuga Adekunle of the Boot Party; and Akinbola Rotham of the New Nigeria Peoples Party.
Omo-Agege, Ochei and Chinda make the cut
The appearance of Omo-Agege, Ochei and Chinda on the final list has attracted attention because their nominations had come under scrutiny following the Supreme Court’s judgment on political party membership registers and candidate selection.
On September 24, 2026, a seven-member panel of the Supreme Court, in a unanimous judgment delivered by Justice Adamu Jauro, upheld an appeal filed by INEC and restored Sections 77(5), 77(6), 77(7) and 84(2) of the Electoral Act 2026.
The provisions had earlier been invalidated by the Court of Appeal in a case arising from a suit filed by the Zenith Labour Party challenging their constitutionality.
Under the restored provisions, only party members whose names appear in the membership register submitted to INEC at least 21 days before a primary, congress or convention may participate in the exercise.
The provisions also require parties to rely on the submitted register, while failure to submit it within the statutory period prevents a party from fielding candidates. Section 84(2) provides for candidate nomination through direct primaries or consensus.
The judgment raised questions about the nominations of politicians who changed political parties shortly before their respective primaries.
However, the Supreme Court did not expressly disqualify Omo-Agege, Ochei or Chinda. Their inclusion on the list does not, in itself, resolve any separate legal questions concerning compliance with the applicable nomination requirements.
Chinda, listed as the APC governorship candidate in Rivers State, made the final list. Omo-Agege, a former Deputy Senate President, was listed as the NDC candidate for Delta Central Senatorial District, while Ochei, a former Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, was listed as the NDC candidate for Delta North Senatorial District.
Their appearance on the list has brought relief to their supporters amid uncertainty over the implications of the Supreme Court ruling.
Other candidates on the list
The published list also provides a clearer picture of the political contest expected across the 26 states covered in the report.
In Kwara State, Zakari Mohammed is listed as the ADC governorship candidate, Yakubu Danladi Salihu as the APC candidate, Abdulmumin Ajia as the NDC candidate and Kawu Bolakale as the PDP candidate.
In Lagos State, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour is listed for the ADC, Obafemi Hamzat for the APC, Doherty Adeshina for the NDC and Doherty Olugbemiga for the PDP.
Abia State’s list includes Kalu Agu of the ADC, Ndubuisi Ogah of the NDC, Kelechi Anosike of the PDP and Eric Chinemeucheya of the APC.
In Adamawa State, the candidates include Modibo Ribadu of the ADC, Aishatu Ahmed of the NDC, Maurice Vunobolki of the PDP and Ahmed Galadima of the APC.
For Akwa Ibom State, John Akpanudoedehe is listed as the ADC candidate, Michael Eyong as the NDC candidate, Sunday Akpan as the PDP candidate and incumbent Governor Umo Eno as the APC candidate.
With the final list now published, the affected parties and candidates face growing pressure to clarify their positions, particularly where omissions have raised questions about participation in the 2027 elections.
The coming days are expected to be significant for political camps seeking clarification or considering legal options over their exclusion from the list.
