INEC to Decide on Excluded Candidates for 2027 Elections

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is set to make a final decision regarding the candidacies of individuals, including Isa Ali Pantami, nominated by various political parties but excluded from the list of candidates for the 2027 elections. This list was released on October 10 and omitted candidates such as Abdulsalam Gwarzo from the Nigeria Democratic Congress and others due to their parties' failure to submit membership registers as required by law.

This decision follows a Supreme Court ruling on September 24, 2026, which upheld the necessity for political parties to submit these registers before conducting valid primaries. INEC's National Commissioner, Mohammed Kudu Haruna, stated that the commission would address the issue during its weekly meeting on October 29, 2026.

Political parties that believe their candidates were wrongly omitted had until October 24, 2026, to notify INEC, and the commission is expected to finalize its decisions during this meeting.