INEC Clears Pantami and Gwarzo for 2027 Elections

According to reports by TheCable on Friday, October 30, 2026, the Independent National Electoral Commission has cleared former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Ali Pantami, as the Peoples Democratic Party governorship candidate in Gombe State for the 2027 elections.

The commission also cleared Abdulsalam Gwarzo, the Nigeria Democratic Congress governorship candidate in Kano State. Mohammed Haruna, chairman of INEC’s information and voter education, said Pantami’s candidacy is subject to the outcome of a pending court case.

Haruna added that Gwarzo’s clearance is also subject to the final outcome of an ex-parte order by a Kano Federal High Court on October 27 directing that no one should be listed as the NDC candidate for now.

The commission rejected the petition of Ladi Adebutu, the PDP governorship candidate in Ogun State, who sought a review of his exclusion from the list of candidates. Haruna confirmed that Adebutu’s petition did not succeed at this stage.

The decisions form part of INEC’s ongoing process of finalising the list of candidates ahead of the 2027 general elections.

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