INEC Clears Pantami, Gwarzo For 2027 Polls

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has cleared former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Ali Pantami, and Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) governorship candidate in Kano State, Abdulsalam Gwarzo, to contest the 2027 elections, regardless of pending court docket instances difficult their candidacies.

The fee mentioned it had no objection to the candidacies of each politicians however famous that their clearance remained topic to the ultimate choices of the courts.

“Yes, Pantami has been cleared,” the supply mentioned when requested concerning the former minister, who’s in search of to contest the Gombe State governorship election.

On Gwarzo, the official mentioned his clearance may very well be affected by the end result of litigation over his exclusion from the record of governorship candidates in Kano State.

“Because of the court case, the court may rule otherwise. So his approval is subject to whatever the court finally decides,” the supply mentioned.

The fee’s choice follows complaints by candidates and political events whose names have been omitted from the lists printed forward of the 2027 basic elections.

Pantami and Gwarzo have been amongst outstanding governorship candidates lacking from INEC’s record launched in October.

INEC had attributed the omissions to alleged non-compliance with provisions of the Electoral Act 2026 requiring political events to submit their membership registers.

The fee mentioned its place adopted a September 24, 2026, Supreme Court judgment affirming the constitutionality of Section 77(5) to (7) of the Electoral Act, which makes the submission of membership registers necessary.

Gwarzo had approached the court docket to problem the exclusion of himself and his working mate, Rabiu Mustapha, from the record of NDC governorship candidates in Kano State.

In an originating summons dated October 20, 2026, he requested the court docket to declare their exclusion illegal and compel INEC to recognise them because the celebration’s candidates.

Pantami’s candidacy can be the topic of litigation, with the INEC supply indicating {that a} court docket continuing was anticipated on Friday.

The supply disclosed that INEC obtained 69 petitions from political events over candidates omitted from the governorship and State Houses of Assembly election lists.

About 36 of the petitions have been profitable, whereas the remaining requests have been rejected.

“We received a total of 69 petitions from political parties. Some of them were successful, I think about 36, and the rest didn’t succeed,” the supply mentioned.

The fee’s authorized division was nonetheless compiling the ultimate figures forward of a proper assertion on the selections.