The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has explained why it omitted Prof. Isa Pantami, Oladipupo Adebutu and other governorship candidates from the final list for the 2027 general elections.
INEC said the exclusion was based on non-compliance with Section 77(5)-(7) of the Electoral Act, 2026, as affirmed by the Supreme Court.
The clarification followed outrage over the omission of Pantami, former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy and PDP candidate in Gombe State, and Adebutu, PDP candidate in Ogun State, from the final governorship list.
In a statement on Tuesday by the National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Kudu Haruna, INEC cited the Supreme Court judgment in INEC v. Zenith Labour Party, Appeal No. SC/CV/495/2026, delivered on September 24, 2026.
Haruna said the apex court upheld the constitutionality and mandatory nature of Section 77(5)-(7) of the Electoral Act, which requires political parties to submit their membership registers as a prerequisite for valid primaries.
He said the court specifically upheld Item No. 2 of INEC’s Timetable and Schedule of Activities which mandated political parties to submit their registers between April 21 and May 10, 2026, adding that failure to comply renders a party ineligible to sponsor candidates.
“The general public is aware of the recent decision of the Supreme Court in INEC v. Zenith Labour Party. The decision arose from INEC’s appeal against the judgment of the Court of Appeal, which nullified the provisions of Section 77(5)-(7) of the Electoral Act, 2026,” the statement read.
“However, the Supreme Court held that the provisions are constitutional and mandatory for all political parties. Furthermore, the Court held that failure to comply with the provisions renders the defaulting political parties ineligible to sponsor any candidate for the election.”
INEC said in line with Section 287(1) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, it applied the Supreme Court decision while finalising the governorship list and excluded defaulting parties.
The commission noted that the final list of presidential and National Assembly candidates had been published earlier on September 12, 2026, 13 days before the Supreme Court judgment.
INEC added that under Section 32(2) of the Electoral Act, 2026, parties that feel their candidates were wrongly excluded have 14 days from publication to notify the commission, with the deadline set for October 24, 2026.
“The Commission assures the public of its commitment to transparency, the rule of law and the credibility of the electoral process,” Haruna stated.