Pantami, Adebutu, Gwarzo Missing in INEC’s Final List of Gombe, Kano, Ogun Guber Candidates

INEC’s final list excluded governorship candidates from three states and two political parties. Ali Pantami of the Peoples Democratic Party was missing in Gombe State. Aminu Gwarzo of the Nigeria Democratic Congress was missing in Kano State. Ladi Adebutu of the Peoples Democratic Party was missing in Ogun State. Their absence matters because the final list determines who is formally cleared to contest.

The omissions affected different stages of the election process. Pantami had appeared on INEC’s provisional list and had won a rerun PDP primary. Gwarzo’s absence led Kano’s NDC chairman to insist that he remained the party’s candidate. In Ogun, neither Adebutu nor his running mate, Kolapo-Sowunmi, appeared in the list.

INEC did not publicly give a specific reason for the exclusions. The article links them to the Supreme Court ruling on Section 77 and membership-register requirements. The affected parties and candidates may use the procedures available under Section 32(2), while the PDP and Pantami say they are working to resolve the omissions.

INEC listed 16 governorship candidates in Gombe State, 13 in Ogun State, and 19 in Rivers State. Rivers therefore had the largest field among the three states, while Ogun had the smallest. These figures show that the election includes several competing parties, but the number of candidates differs considerably from state to state.

The Gombe list contained 16 candidates from parties other than the PDP because Ali Pantami’s name was missing. Ogun had 13 candidates, and none represented the PDP after Ladi Adebutu and his running mate were omitted. Rivers had a 19-man list, including APC candidate Kingsley Chinda in fifth position.

The numbers also show that exclusion from the final list can change the visible shape of a contest. A party may have held a primary and selected a candidate, yet still be absent from the official field. The article does not provide a combined total for all states, but these three lists alone contain 48 listed candidates.

INEC’s final list is the official publication of candidates the electoral commission recognises for a governorship election. It follows earlier provisional information and records which nominees have met the applicable requirements. The list matters because it gives voters, parties, and officials a settled account of who is authorised to appear on the ballot.

The article provides a direct example from Kano. After Aminu Gwarzo’s removal from the final list, it states that he cannot contest the governorship election on the NDC platform. In Ogun, the absence of Ladi Adebutu and Kolapo-Sowunmi raised questions about whether the PDP had a valid governorship ticket. Their earlier selection by the party did not guarantee final inclusion.

INEC’s list therefore acts as a legal and administrative gateway to the contest. The article says parties have 14 days to notify INEC if a nominated candidate is missing. That process could address an omission, but until the official position changes, the absent candidate is not cleared to compete.

The Supreme Court’s ruling made party membership records central to candidate eligibility. It confirmed the continued validity of Section 77 of the Electoral Act 2026 and restored provisions requiring parties to submit membership registers to INEC within the stipulated time. A party could therefore not freely nominate someone whose name was absent from the relevant register.

Pantami’s case illustrates the mechanism. He left the APC, became PDP’s candidate, and won a rerun primary after a court nullified his first primary. However, the article says the Supreme Court judgment created his biggest obstacle because it barred parties from fielding candidates not included in the submitted membership register. His name appeared on the provisional list but not the final one.

INEC did not publicly state the specific reason for each omission. Still, the article connects the exclusions to the Supreme Court ruling. It also reports speculation that Adebutu’s name may not have been in the PDP register. The affected parties have 14 days to notify INEC in writing, with an affidavit, if a nominee is missing.

A missing name removes the nominated candidate’s formal route into the governorship election. The person may have won a party primary, but the party cannot rely on that nomination alone if INEC does not include the candidate in its final list. This can leave the party without a recognised governorship candidate in that state.

Kano provides the clearest example. Aminu Gwarzo’s removal means he cannot contest on the NDC platform, even though the party’s state chairman insists that he remains its candidate. Ogun presents a similar problem: neither Ladi Adebutu nor running mate Kolapo-Sowunmi appeared, leaving questions about the status of the PDP ticket.

The political effect is serious, but the article does not say that every omission is necessarily permanent. Section 32(2) gives parties 14 days to notify INEC in writing, with an affidavit, when a nominee’s name is missing. The PDP says Adebutu will be published, and Pantami describes his omission as a temporary challenge. Their chances therefore depend on whether the issue is corrected.

The article identifies a specific administrative response under Section 32(2) of the Electoral Act 2026. A political party has 14 days to notify INEC in writing when a nominated candidate’s name is missing. The notice must include an affidavit. This gives the party a formal channel to ask the commission to examine and address the omission.

Candidates may also become involved in court proceedings over the nomination behind the list. Ahmed Mailantarki challenged Pantami’s first PDP primary victory. A Federal High Court in Gombe nullified that election and ordered a fresh primary, which Pantami later won on September 29. That example concerns the nomination process, rather than a direct appeal against the final list.

The article does not describe a separate appeal procedure or promise that INEC must restore a name. It reports that Pantami said efforts were underway and called the omission temporary. The Ogun PDP likewise urged residents to remain calm and said Adebutu would be published. The immediate next step is therefore formal notice, supporting documents, and continued legal or administrative efforts.

Political parties begin the process by registering members, maintaining their records, conducting primaries, and nominating candidates. Their membership registers matter because the article says names must be submitted to INEC within the required period. A party’s nomination therefore carries both a political decision and a recordkeeping responsibility.

Courts handle disputes about whether a primary or nomination was valid. Ahmed Mailantarki challenged Pantami’s victory, and a Federal High Court in Gombe nullified the first primary and ordered another. The Supreme Court later restored the relevant Electoral Act provisions, establishing the legal basis for excluding nominees absent from submitted membership registers.

INEC then receives party information, applies the electoral law, and publishes the final candidate list. The commission’s list included 19 Rivers candidates but omitted Pantami, Gwarzo, and Adebutu. INEC did not publicly state each specific reason. Parties can respond through the 14-day written notice and affidavit procedure, while courts remain relevant when the underlying nomination is challenged.