The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has cleared former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Ali Pantami, and Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) governorship candidate in Kano State, Abdulsalam Gwarzo, to contest the 2027 general elections, subject to the outcomes of pending court cases.

However, the commission rejected a petition by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in Ogun State, Ladi Adebutu, seeking a review of his exclusion from the list of candidates.

A source within INEC disclosed the decisions to DAILY GAZETTE on Thursday, following a meeting of the commission to consider petitions submitted by political parties over the omission of candidates from the lists released ahead of the elections.

According to the source, the commission received 69 petitions relating to governorship and State Houses of Assembly candidates, with approximately 36 granted and the remaining applications unsuccessful.

The source added that INEC’s legal department was finalising the figures and preparing an official statement detailing the outcome of the review.

On Pantami, the source confirmed that the former minister had been cleared to contest the governorship election in Gombe State, although legal proceedings relating to his candidacy remain pending.

Similarly, Gwarzo’s clearance was granted subject to the final determination of the court case challenging his exclusion from the list of governorship candidates in Kano State.

The source explained that the commission had no objection to the two candidates participating in the election but stressed that the courts could ultimately determine their eligibility.

Gwarzo had approached the court to challenge INEC’s omission of his name and that of his running mate, Rabiu Mustapha, from the list of candidates for the Kano State governorship election.

In an originating summons dated October 20, 2026, the NDC candidate asked the court to declare their exclusion unlawful and compel the commission to recognise them as the party’s governorship flag-bearers.

Pantami’s candidacy is also facing litigation, with the INEC source indicating that a court proceeding was expected on Friday.

In contrast, Adebutu’s petition was unsuccessful. The Ogun PDP candidate had challenged his exclusion from the final list of governorship candidates, maintaining that he remained a registered member of the party and had complied with the relevant membership registration requirements.

The omissions followed INEC’s position that some political parties failed to comply with provisions of the Electoral Act, 2026, requiring the submission of membership registers.

The commission had cited a September 24, 2026, Supreme Court judgment affirming the constitutionality of Section 77(5) to (7) of the Electoral Act, which makes the submission of party membership registers mandatory.

Former Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, has hailed President Bola Tinubu following a Federal High Court judgment recognising him as the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for Imo West Senatorial District ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Okorocha described the judgment as a turning point for Imo State, declaring that the decision had broken the shackles holding the state.

He spoke on Thursday while hosting his legal team after Justice Obiora Egwuatu of the Federal High Court in Abuja delivered the ruling.

The court held that Okorocha won the APC senatorial primary conducted on May 18, 2026, and ordered the party to submit his name to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as its candidate for the January 16, 2027 senatorial election.

The court also directed Governor Hope Uzodimma to stop presenting himself as the party’s candidate for the district.

Reacting to the ruling, the former governor expressed appreciation to the judiciary, saying the decision demonstrated a commitment to justice and represented a victory for the people of Imo State.

“I thank the judiciary for standing on the side of justice. I could imagine what would have happened in the state if they decided to twist justice. This is a victory for Imo State,” Okorocha said.

He also linked the judgment to the symbolic shackle associated with Tinubu’s traditional cap, suggesting that the court’s decision reflected the President’s position on the political situation in Imo State.

“This is also the first time the Imo people will understand the sign of the shackle on President Tinubu’s cap. By this judgment, the shackle on Imo State has been broken, and it is also evident that the President is tired of this nonsense and that he is not in support of it,” he said.

Okorocha thanked Tinubu but did not present evidence that the President had intervened in the dispute or influenced the court’s decision.

The legal battle arose from Okorocha’s challenge to INEC’s recognition of Uzodimma as the APC candidate for Imo West Senatorial District.

The dispute attracted further attention after INEC petitioned the police and the Department of State Services over the circulation of a disputed document online which purportedly identified Okorocha as the winner of the party’s primary.

The electoral commission had maintained that its official report showed Uzodimma as the winner of the exercise.

Okorocha also addressed reports of his alleged arrest, explaining that he deliberately refrained from commenting when the news emerged.

“When the news broke out that I was arrested, I refused to make any comments,” he said.

He further questioned the documents presented during the dispute, particularly the claim that Uzodimma emerged through consensus despite the recording of individual scores.

The former governor also queried an alleged discrepancy in the dates of the primary, noting that one document reportedly listed May 16, 2026, instead of May 18, the date he said the election was conducted.

“So which one did the court really dwell on?” he asked, raising questions about the documentary evidence surrounding the contested primary.

The controversy had deepened after INEC maintained that the official result submitted to its headquarters showed Uzodimma winning with 230,464 votes against Okorocha’s 1,098 votes.

The commission subsequently called on security agencies to investigate the circulation of the alternative document.

The South-East Youths Stakeholders Forum has congratulated former Imo State Governor, Senator Rochas Okorocha, following a Federal High Court judgment declaring him the winner of the All Progressives Congress (APC) senatorial primary for Imo West Senatorial District ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The forum also urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to immediately comply with the court’s directives and take the necessary steps to recognise Okorocha as the party’s candidate.

The judgment was delivered on Thursday by Justice Obiora Egwuatu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, who ordered the incumbent Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, to stop presenting himself as the APC candidate for the senatorial election scheduled for January 16, 2027.

Justice Egwuatu held that the evidence presented before the court established that Okorocha secured the majority of votes cast during the APC senatorial primary conducted on May 18, 2026, which was monitored by INEC.

The court consequently directed the APC to forward Okorocha’s name to the electoral commission as its candidate for the Imo West Senatorial District election.

The ruling followed a legal challenge by Okorocha against Uzodimma’s recognition as the party’s candidate.

INEC’s previously reported official results had listed Uzodimma as the winner of the primary, a position Okorocha contested in court.

Reacting to the judgment, the South-East Youths Stakeholders Forum described the development as significant, expressing confidence that the rule of law must prevail in the resolution of political disputes.

In a press statement made available to newsmen, the Chairman of the forum’s Imo State chapter, Comrade Ifeanyi Nwosu, said respect for judicial decisions remained fundamental to democracy, justice, peace and political stability.

The forum called on INEC to take all necessary steps to implement the court’s decision in accordance with the judgment and applicable laws.

It also appealed to Uzodimma and his supporters to respect the ruling, embrace reconciliation and work towards a united APC ahead of the 2027 general elections.

According to the forum, unity, mutual understanding and collective commitment among party leaders and stakeholders are essential to strengthening the APC and advancing its electoral objectives.

The group further reaffirmed its commitment to mobilising youths across the South-East in support of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and APC candidates in future elections.

It urged party leaders and stakeholders in Imo State to put aside their differences and work together in the interest of the party.

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has disqualified Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma as the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for the Imo West Senatorial District election scheduled for January 16, 2027.

The court, presided over by Justice Obiora Egwuatu, ruled that Uzodimma did not emerge victorious in the APC senatorial primary conducted on May 18 and monitored by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Instead, the judge held that evidence presented before the court showed that former Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, secured the majority of votes cast during the primary election.

Consequently, Justice Egwuatu ordered the APC to recognise Okorocha as the duly elected winner of the primary and submit his name to INEC as the party’s candidate for the Imo West Senatorial District contest in the 2027 general elections.

The court further directed INEC to publish Okorocha’s name as the APC’s candidate, effectively invalidating Uzodimma’s claim to the party’s senatorial ticket.

Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has challenged President Bola Tinubu to provide daily, date-stamped photographs and videos showing him performing the lesser Islamic pilgrimage, Umrah, in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, following allegations that the President could make a detour to France.

Atiku, who is associated with the African Democratic Congress (ADC), questioned the circumstances surrounding Tinubu’s planned trip, alleging that the announced pilgrimage could serve as a “smokescreen or subterfuge” for a possible visit to France.

The allegations were contained in a statement issued on Wednesday by Phrank Shaibu, Director of Strategic Communication of the ADC Presidential Campaign Council.

Tinubu is scheduled to depart Abuja on Thursday for Makkah, where the Presidency says he will perform Umrah and pray for Nigeria’s peace, unity, stability and progress.

He is expected to return to the country next week.

Reacting to the announcement, Atiku called on the Presidency to disclose the President’s full itinerary and provide verifiable evidence of his presence in the holy city throughout the pilgrimage.

“If President Tinubu is truly travelling to pray for Nigeria, the Presidency should release clear, current, date-stamped photographs and videos each day showing him at the Kaaba and participating in the rites of Umrah,” the statement said.

The former vice-president also raised questions about Tinubu’s health and a reported $20 billion loan request involving a French business partner, urging the Presidency to address the issues.

Atiku maintained that Nigerians deserved transparency regarding the President’s movements and official engagements, particularly when a foreign trip was publicly presented as a spiritual mission undertaken on behalf of the country.

He said he and other Nigerians would join the President in praying for the nation’s peace and progress, but cautioned against using religious devotion without sincerity.

The ADC campaign council also argued that the trip was a matter of public interest, insisting that Nigerians had a right to know the President’s itinerary and how the visit would be funded.

Atiku consequently urged the Presidency to respond to the concerns and provide the information he said Nigerians were entitled to receive.

The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has pledged to strengthen Nigeria’s electoral laws and ensure the prosecution and imprisonment of individuals found guilty of electoral fraud if elected president in 2027.

Obi made the pledge on Wednesday during an NDC town hall meeting in Akwanga Local Government Area of Nasarawa State, where he outlined his proposed reforms aimed at promoting electoral transparency, accountability and public confidence in the democratic process.

The former Anambra State governor said his administration would prioritise reforms to strengthen political parties and improve the conduct of elections, stressing that electoral manipulation must attract serious legal consequences.

He maintained that officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and other individuals found culpable in the manipulation of election results should face prosecution and imprisonment in accordance with the law.

Obi also called for stricter requirements for individuals seeking elective positions, proposing that political aspirants should provide evidence that they attended primary and secondary school.

He warned against the falsification of academic credentials, insisting that individuals who forge certificates or make false claims about their educational qualifications should be held accountable.

The NDC presidential candidate further stressed that the rule of law must apply equally to all Nigerians, irrespective of their political influence, public office or social standing.

According to him, his presidential ambition is driven by the desire to build a country where public institutions function effectively, electoral laws are respected and no individual is considered above the law.

Obi’s remarks come as political parties and prospective candidates intensify preparations for the 2027 general elections, with electoral integrity, credible voting processes and institutional accountability expected to feature prominently in political debates.

However, any proposed changes to candidates’ eligibility requirements would have to comply with the relevant provisions of the Nigerian Constitution and electoral laws.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has scheduled the presidential and National Assembly elections for January 16, 2027, while governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections are slated for February 6, 2027.

A Federal High Court in Lagos has ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to replace Ibrahim Lukman with Olumuyiwa Owadara as the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) candidate for Oshodi/Isolo Federal Constituency I in the 2027 general election.

The court, presided over by Justice Akintayo Aluko, nullified INEC’s publication of Lukman as the party’s candidate, ruling that he did not participate in the primary election monitored by the commission on May 29, 2026.

In the judgment delivered on October 20, the court held that Owadara emerged winner of the primary after scoring the highest number of lawful votes cast.

Justice Aluko consequently directed INEC to immediately publish Owadara’s name and particulars as the party’s candidate, setting aside the commission’s August 1 publication of Lukman.

The court also awarded N1m in costs against INEC and Lukman.

The suit followed INEC’s decision to list Lukman as the NDC candidate despite the party’s position that he neither participated in the recognised primary nor emerged through any subsequent primary election.

Owadara had approached the court, arguing that he won the party’s primary and completed the necessary nomination requirements but was excluded from INEC’s published list of candidates.

In its defence, INEC maintained that it published the names submitted through its platform by political parties, including the NDC.

However, Justice Aluko rejected the commission’s explanation, holding that it was not supported by credible evidence.

The judge noted that the NDC denied submitting Lukman’s name and accused INEC of imposing him on the party, stressing that the commission lacked the legal authority to determine a party’s candidate outside the provisions of the law.

Justice Aluko held that the publication of Lukman’s name violated Sections 29(1), 32(1) and 84(1) of the Electoral Act 2026, which regulate the submission of candidates and the conduct and monitoring of party primaries.

The court further found no credible evidence that the NDC had invoked the statutory procedure for changing its candidate under Section 33 of the Act or conducted another primary election.

“There is no credible evidence before the court to suggest that the 2nd Defendant as a political party took steps to change its candidate in line with the provision of section 33 of the Electoral Act or that another primary election was held by the 2nd Defendant,” the judge held.

Relying on the Supreme Court’s decision in Igboke v. Chukwu (2023), Justice Aluko reaffirmed that a candidate who did not emerge from the relevant party primary could not lawfully be recognised by INEC.

The court also dismissed Lukman’s objection to its jurisdiction.

Lukman had argued that he was not properly served with the court processes, claiming that he was in London when service was purportedly effected and disputing the ownership of the WhatsApp number and email address used.

The judge, however, found that the WhatsApp number used for service matched the number Lukman supplied to INEC in his Form EC9, an affidavit of personal particulars sworn to on June 27.

The court also considered WhatsApp exchanges between the lawyers representing both sides, which indicated that the court processes had been exchanged on August 27, 28 and 31.

Justice Aluko further noted that Lukman did not file a counter-affidavit or defence to challenge Owadara’s claims.

Owadara’s legal team was led by Festus Ogun, Managing Partner of FOLEGAL, alongside Tofunmi Adetunji and Omobola Olayanju.

Reacting to the judgment, Ogun described the decision as a victory for democracy and the rule of law, expressing satisfaction that the court had upheld the rights of the recognised primary winner.

He faulted the last-minute emergence of a candidate who did not participate in the recognised primary, describing such a development as an injustice to the legitimate winner and a threat to the credibility of the electoral process.

Meanwhile, the NDC, through its counsel, Ikechukwu Onodi, had argued that INEC lacked the authority to substitute a duly nominated candidate, maintaining that candidate substitution was an internal party matter governed by statutory requirements.

INEC’s counsel, Segun Bello, also argued that determining whom a political party sponsors was not the commission’s responsibility and that the electoral umpire was required to remain neutral.

Following the judgment, FOLEGAL, in a letter dated October 23, forwarded a certified true copy of the decision to the INEC National Chairman and requested immediate compliance with the court’s orders