The omission of several candidates from list of governorship candidates recently published by Nigeria's electoral umpire Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) continues to elicit reactions from across the country. The development followed the publication of the commission’s final candidates’ list and stirring widespread speculation about compliance with electoral laws and the nomination of candidates. The full list is as follows: 1. Benue State - Sebastine Hon (SAN), SDP. - Background: no reason was given by INEC at the time of going to press but the candidate has called on his supporters to remain calm, assuring that concerted efforts are on to correct what he described as a mistake. 2. Gombe State - Isa Ali Pantami, PDP. – Background: Pantami emerged as the PDP candidate in a fresh primary held in September 2026 after a Federal High Court nullified his earlier nomination and ordered a rerun. He won the fresh primary but was subsequently absent from the commission’s final list. 3. Ogun State - Oladipupo (Ladi) Adebutu, PDP. – Background: Questions were raised over whether Adebutu’s name appeared on the PDP membership register submitted to INEC. The Ogun PDP rejected allegations that he was not properly registered and maintained that it had complied with the relevant requirements. 4. Kano State - Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo – Background: Gwarzo had emerged as the NDC’s governorship candidate. The commission’s published list did not explain the omission, leaving the circumstances surrounding the party’s absence unclear. 5. Bauchi State - Four parties excluded: they are SDP, NNPP, AP and AA. Reports indicated that INEC listed 15 governorship candidates for Bauchi State but did not include candidates from these four parties. The published reports did not establish the individual names of all four omitted candidates or provide an official explanation for the ommissions. The omissions came after the Supreme Court September 24, 2026, restored provisions of the Electoral Act 2026 concerning political party membership registers and participation in party primaries. The provisions require political parties to use membership registers submitted to INEC within the prescribed period when determining eligibility to participate in primaries. The ruling has implications for parties whose candidates’ eligibility or nomination processes do not satisfy the applicable statutory requirements. However, INEC’s published lists did not individually explain the reasons for all the omissions. It would therefore be premature to conclude that every affected candidate was excluded for the same reason. Reactions from across the country were varied, with many who were Interviewed saying that INEC was just begining to show its true face and wondering why no candidate from the ruling APC was omitted. Others however ascribed the development to the September Supreme Court judgment.

Posted: 7days ago

Author: Editor in Chief

Current date: 18 October 2026