The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has omitted the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from its final list of candidates for the governorship elections in Ogun and Gombe states.
The candidate lists published on the electoral umpire’s website show 13 cleared candidates for Ogun and 16 for Gombe—with no candidates listed for the PDP in either state.
The omissions effectively leave out Ladi Adebutu, the PDP’s flagbearer in Ogun, and former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Professor Isa Ali Pantami, in Gombe.
While the official document carried no detailed explanation for the exclusions, the development follows ongoing legal disputes and regulatory compliance checks.
Disputes over membership register and court rulings
In Ogun, Mr. Adebutu’s omission comes after rival groups raised concerns over his eligibility, alleging that his name was absent from the formal PDP membership register submitted to the electoral body.
The Ogun State chapter of the PDP rejected the claims, insisting that Mr Adebutu remains a validly registered member and that the party complied with all legal requirements regarding membership submissions.
In Gombe, Professor Pantami’s exclusion follows a judicial challenge over the internal primary process. The Federal High Court in Gombe had nullified his initial nomination, ordering a fresh primary within 30 days due to procedural non-compliance.
Although Professor Pantami won the rerun primary, his name was not included in the final list.
INEC National Commissioner for Information and Voter Education, Mohammed Haruna, previously warned that political parties failing to meet strict membership-register compliance requirements would be barred from fielding candidates or making substitutions.
Under Section 32(2) of the Electoral Act, political parties have 14 days to formally notify the commission in writing, supported by an affidavit, if a nominated candidate’s name is omitted.
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