Has Kano’s Aminu Gwarzo, Gombe’s Pantami Case Been Resolved?

The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) stated the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) acknowledged receipt of its complaints over the omission of its candidate’s identify, Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo, within the listing of candidates for Kano State governorship election, however has but to challenge a closing response.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has filed an affidavit in search of the reinstatement of Isa Pantami’s identify on the Gombe governorship candidate listing.

Besides, Gwarzo and Pantami, the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) candidate in Oyo, Adebiyi Adedapo, and Social Democratic Party (SDP) candidates in Oyo and Benue, have additionally complained in regards to the omission of their names.

The controversy surrounding the exclusion of NDC’s Gwarzo, and PDP’s Pantami, and others stays unresolved after the deadline set by the INEC for submission of complaints expired on Saturday, October 24, 2026.

Media experiences as of Sunday, October 25, indicated that the fee had but to announce whether or not it will amend the listing of candidates it revealed. Consequently, the standing of Gwarzo’s and Pantami’s candidacies remained unsure forward of the governorship elections scheduled for February 6, 2027.

NDC Files Complaint however Awaits Final Response

The NDC stated it had written to INEC in search of a assessment of the exclusion of Gwarzo and his working mate, Mustapha Rabiu Kwankwaso, from the listing of Kano governorship candidates.

The get together’s National Publicity Secretary, Osa Director, instructed newsmen that the fee had acquired and acknowledged the get together’s criticism letters however had not issued a closing response by the point the deadline expired.

The NDC Chairman in Kano State, Hussaini Mairiga, additionally stated the get together submitted its criticism via its nationwide management according to the process outlined by the fee.

Mairiga maintained that Gwarzo was a duly registered member of the get together, stating that he registered on May 5, 2026. He stated the get together hoped {that a} assessment of its membership registration data would set up the candidate’s eligibility.

However, the accessible experiences didn’t affirm that INEC had upheld the NDC’s criticism or restored the names of its candidates to the revealed listing.

PDP Takes Legal Action over Pantami’s Exclusion

In Gombe State, the PDP challenged Pantami’s exclusion from the governorship candidate listing, insisting that it had fulfilled the necessities for nominating him.

Pantami emerged because the get together’s candidate after a contemporary major election held on September 29, 2026, following a court docket order. His identify appeared on INEC’s provisional listing revealed on August 29 however was absent from the ultimate listing launched on October 10.

LEADERSHIP experiences indicated that the PDP filed an affidavit on the Federal High Court registry in Abuja on October 15, difficult the exclusion of Pantami and its governorship candidate in Ogun State, Ladi Adebutu. The get together requested the fee to revive their names to the listing.

Despite the authorized step, experiences revealed after the deadline didn’t set up that INEC had granted the PDP’s request or reinstated Pantami.

INEC’s Official Position

In a press release issued on October 13, 2026, INEC stated the exclusion of sure political events and their candidates from the ultimate listing adopted the Supreme Court judgment delivered on September 24, 2026, within the case of INEC v. Zenith Labour Party.

The fee stated the Supreme Court upheld Sections 77(5) to 77(7) of the Electoral Act 2026, which require political events to submit their membership registers throughout the stipulated interval to allow them to conduct legitimate get together primaries.

INEC stated its timetable supplied for the submission of membership registers between April 21 and May 10, 2026. It added that events that failed to satisfy the requirement weren’t eligible to appoint candidates.

The fee additionally cited Section 32(2) of the Electoral Act 2026, which it stated permits political events that consider their candidates had been wrongly excluded to inform it inside 14 days of the publication of the candidate listing. INEC set October 24 because the deadline for submitting such complaints.

However, the fee’s assertion outlined its basic place on membership registration necessities and the exclusion of candidates. It didn’t specify its selections on the NDC’s criticism regarding Gwarzo or the PDP’s criticism regarding Pantami.

Were All the Required Documents Submitted?

Available experiences confirmed that the NDC despatched criticism letters and that INEC acknowledged receiving them. However, there was no unbiased affirmation that the get together had submitted each doc required by legislation or that the fee had accepted its criticism.

Regarding the PDP, information experiences indicated that the get together filed an affidavit in search of the reinstatement of Pantami and Adebutu. It remained unclear whether or not the motion had resulted within the modifications the get together was in search of.

What Happens Next?

With the October 24 deadline now expired, the matter stays unsure. The NDC has stated it will pursue authorized choices if the fee fails to resolve its criticism, whereas the PDP has already taken authorized motion over the exclusion of a few of its candidates.

As of the newest experiences accessible, there was no INEC announcement confirming that Gwarzo or Pantami had been restored to the ultimate candidate listing.

The matter subsequently can’t be thought of resolved till the fee proclaims a particular determination or publishes a revised listing displaying the modifications.