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 political camps protesting the omission of their candidates while others welcomed the inclusion of politicians whose nominations had faced legal challenges.
Among the prominent figures missing from the list are former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, the Peoples Democratic Party’s governorship candidate in Ogun State, Ladi Adebutu, and the Nigeria Democratic Congress candidate in Kano State, Aminu Gwarzo, a former deputy governor.
The omissions have raised fresh concerns over the participation of opposition candidates in next year’s elections, particularly amid legal disputes surrounding party primaries and compliance with electoral laws.
INEC published the names of candidates contesting presidential, governorship and National Assembly elections on its website on Saturday.
The list features 18 presidential candidates, including President Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of the African Democratic Congress, Peter Obi of the Nigeria Democratic Congress and Omoyele Sowore of the African Action Congress.
In Ogun State, the PDP accused the ruling APC of mounting pressure on INEC to exclude Adebutu, alleging that the move was driven by fears of losing the governorship election.
The party’s state Publicity Secretary, Kayode Adebayo, insisted that Adebutu remained its duly nominated candidate, claiming he had registered as a party member within the stipulated period and completed the required verification and documentation.
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“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.
Adebutu’s running mate, Alhaja Yemi Sowunmi-Kolapo, and the Accord Party’s candidate, Olaniyi Agbongboakala, were also missing from Ogun’s list.
In Gombe, Pantami’s supporters urged calm after the former minister’s name failed to appear, despite his victory in a fresh PDP primary ordered after a court invalidated his earlier nomination.
Pantami won the rerun with 2,024 votes, defeating Khamisu Mailantarki and Usman Aliyu Garry. However, Professor Suleiman Mohammed, spokesperson for the Pantamiyya Movement, described the omission as temporary.
“This is a temporary challenge and a normal part of the electoral process, not a final determination, in sha Allah,” he said in a statement shared on Pantami’s Facebook account.
Meanwhile, relief was reported among supporters of candidates whose nominations had attracted scrutiny following a September 24 Supreme Court judgment restoring provisions of the Electoral Act 2026 governing party membership registers and candidate selection.
Despite concerns surrounding nominations, politicians including Kingsley Chinda, Ovie Omo-Agege and Victor Ochei appeared on the list.
The reasons for the omissions of Pantami, Adebutu and Gwarzo were not immediately clear. INEC’s publication has therefore set the stage for further legal and political contest as parties prepare for the 2027 elections.