The exclusion of several governorship candidates from the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) final list for the 2027 general elections has ignited fresh debate over political participation, electoral fairness and the integrity of Nigeria’s democratic process.
In Kano State, the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) governorship candidate, Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo, is missing from the published list. In Gombe, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Isa Ali Pantami, has also been omitted. The NDC has alleged a political conspiracy, insisting it fully met all nomination requirements.
Political scientists and opposition officials have demanded greater transparency and accountability from the electoral body.
Sufi Questions Neutrality, Urges Caution
Dr Kabiru Sa’id Sufi, a political scientist based in Kano, said the selective appearance of names on the final list has fuelled doubts about INEC’s impartiality.
“People saw some names and they did not see some names. So that raises serious questions,” Sufi stated. He pointed to the inclusion of the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate in Rivers State and the Social Democratic Party (SDP) candidate in Nasarawa State as comparisons that have intensified public speculation.
“Until that explanation is released and people are given satisfactory answers, people will have every reason to begin to see lack of neutrality or due diligence on the part of INEC in the release of the final list,” he added. Sufi stressed that the commission’s forthcoming clarification would determine whether the omissions stemmed from legitimate electoral requirements or administrative shortcomings.
NDC Alleges Political Conspiracy in Kano
Usaini Isah Mairiga, Kano State chairman of the NDC, expressed shock at the exclusion of the party’s candidate. In an exclusive interview, he maintained that the party had complied with all relevant rules.
“From the moment we discovered that our governorship candidate’s name was missing, we did not hear anything from the party’s stakeholders because we knew we had not violated any rules. We believe this is a political conspiracy,” Mairiga said.
The party has already submitted a formal complaint and remains confident of a favourable resolution. “But I assure you that we are not discouraged, and our candidate will return to the ballot,” he declared.
PDP Calls on INEC to Safeguard Credibility
Kabiru Sani Mai Kwanika, acting publicity secretary of the PDP in Kano State, warned that the exclusion of eligible candidates could undermine democratic participation.
“During the PDP’s reign, every political party had the opportunity to present its candidate, but what is happening now is not right,” he said. Mai Kwanika urged INEC to protect its institutional integrity, noting that “the eyes of the world are now on Nigeria.”
He also advised political parties to engage legal experts more closely and remain vigilant about electoral laws and nomination procedures to prevent exploitation of technical provisions.
Lawyer Stresses Fairness and Due Process
Barrister Nura Ahmad Muhammad cautioned against rushing to conclusions of bias. He noted that INEC has a statutory duty to enforce electoral laws and court rulings, but insisted this power must be exercised fairly, transparently and without political interference.
The key question, he said, is whether the exclusions rest on valid legal grounds or result from administrative errors or inconsistent application of the law. Candidates wrongly omitted retain the right to challenge the decisions through legal channels.
“To safeguard the integrity of the electoral process, INEC should provide clear reasons for exclusions, apply the law equally to all political parties, and establish transparent mechanisms for correcting genuine errors within the legally prescribed timelines,” Muhammad stated. He emphasised that neither political interests nor administrative lapses should deny eligible candidates the chance to contest.
Electoral Law at the Heart of the Dispute
The controversy follows a Supreme Court judgment delivered on 24 September 2026 in INEC v. Zenith Labour Party. The ruling restored provisions of the Electoral Act 2026 requiring political parties to submit membership registers to INEC within the stipulated period and to use those registers for primaries, congresses and conventions.
INEC has explained that some candidates were excluded because their parties failed to meet these membership-register requirements and were therefore ineligible to field candidates. Parties that believe their candidates were wrongly omitted have until 24 October 2026 to notify the commission of alleged errors, in line with Section 32(2) of the Electoral Act 2026.
As the 2027 general elections draw closer, the handling of the final candidate list remains a critical test of electoral administration, public confidence and the breadth of political choice available to Nigerian voters.
