The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has released an updated final list of governorship candidates for the 2027 elections, clearing former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Professor Isa Ali Pantami, as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for Gombe State while omitting the National Democratic Congress (NDC) candidate for Kano State, Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo (also referred to as Abdulsalam Gwarzo), due to a subsisting court order.
In a statement accompanying the update, INEC said the revised list followed a review of court judgments, party submissions, and petitions challenging the earlier final lists published on October 10, 2026. The commission noted that Pantami’s inclusion was approved after he met all legal requirements. His candidacy, however, remains subject to the outcome of any pending court cases.
Gwarzo’s name remains excluded. INEC cited an existing court order restraining the publication of his name pending the resolution of ongoing litigation. The commission stated that the Kano NDC candidate cannot be included until the court order is vacated.
“INEC updates final governorship list: Prof. Isa Ali Pantami, PDP, now included for Gombe, Kano NDC’s Gwarzo still omitted under court order,” the commission said in its update. It added that the final list would be published on its website and at all state offices.
Pantami, who previously served under the Muhammadu Buhari administration, had been missing from the initial final list despite appearing on the provisional list earlier in the year. He emerged as the PDP flagbearer in Gombe after switching from the All Progressives Congress (APC) and winning a court-ordered rerun primary. Legal challenges and questions surrounding compliance with membership register requirements under the Electoral Act 2026 had delayed his clearance.
Gwarzo, a former deputy governor of Kano State and ally of former Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, was also omitted from the October 10 list. The NDC had attributed the initial absence to a computer error and expressed optimism about restoration. Although some reports earlier indicated conditional clearance subject to court outcomes, the latest update confirms his continued exclusion due to the subsisting court order.
The developments form part of INEC’s broader review of dozens of petitions from political parties and candidates whose names were missing from the earlier lists. The commission approved a significant number of the petitions while rejecting others, including that of the PDP’s Ladi Adebutu in Ogun State.
The updated lists come as political parties intensify preparations for the February 6, 2027, governorship and state assembly elections. Stakeholders in both Gombe and Kano are closely monitoring the legal processes that could still affect the final composition of the ballots.
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