The fate of the Peoples Democratic Party governorship candidate in Ogun State, Ladi Adebutu, and that of the Nigeria Democratic Congress candidate in Kano State, Aminu Gwarzo, remains uncertain as their petitions were among the 64 rejected by the Independent National Electoral Commission on Thursday.
However, the candidacy of former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy and Gombe State PDP governorship candidate, Isa Ali Pantami, was cleared by the electoral commission for the 2027 election.
A source in INEC, who spoke to The PUNCH on Thursday night on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to comment on the matter, said Adebutu’s and Gwarzo’s candidacies remained uncertain following the review of complaints over the final lists of candidates for the 2027 governorship and State House of Assembly elections.
He confirmed that Pantami had been cleared to contest in Gombe State.
Speaking on Adebutu, the source said his name was not included in the list because it was not on the list of candidates submitted to INEC by his party.
“His petition was rejected because his name was not included in the list of candidates originally submitted to INEC by the PDP,” the source said.
On Gwarzo, he said the deputy governor would have made the list but for an ex parte order issued by the Federal High Court, which barred INEC from publishing his name.
