2027 Governorship Race: INEC List Exposes PDP’s Candidate Troubles

The road to the 2027 governorship elections has opened a fresh challenge for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) leaving out two prominent politicians, Isa Ali Pantami and Ladi Adebutu, from its final list of governorship candidates.

Pantami, a former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, had sought the PDP ticket in Gombe State, while Adebutu was expected to represent the party in Ogun State. Their absence from the final list raises questions about the party’s readiness to contest in both states and its handling of nomination requirements ahead of the elections.

The development highlights how disputes over party primaries, membership records and compliance with electoral laws can affect political ambitions even after candidates have emerged from internal party contests.

In Gombe, Pantami’s candidacy had already faced a legal challenge. On September 24, 2026, the Federal High Court in Gombe nullified the primary that initially produced him as the PDP candidate and directed the party to conduct another exercise within 30 days.

The suit was brought by fellow aspirants, including Usman Aliyu and Khamisu Mailantarki, who argued that the primary process did not comply with the party’s procedures and applicable electoral requirements. The court found problems with the exclusion of aspirants who had been screened and cleared to participate.

Pantami subsequently took part in a fresh primary on September 29 and emerged as the party’s candidate again. However, his name was still missing from INEC’s final list, leaving uncertainty over the status of the former minister’s governorship ambition.

Ogun State presents a different challenge for the PDP. Adebutu’s omission is connected to questions raised about his name in the party’s membership register submitted to INEC. Two groups, the Ogun Democratic Accountability Forum and Elections Integrity Watch, reportedly questioned whether he met the membership requirements for participation in the party’s primary.

The Ogun PDP, however, rejected the allegations and maintained that Adebutu was a duly registered member who satisfied the requirements to emerge as its governorship candidate. Despite the party’s defence, neither Adebutu nor his running mate appeared on INEC’s final list, dealing a fresh blow to the party’s preparations in the state.

The controversy has also brought renewed attention to the legal framework governing party membership and nominations. A September 24 Supreme Court judgment restored provisions of the Electoral Act 2026 dealing with membership registers and participation in party primaries. The provisions require political parties to comply with statutory rules on submitting their registers and determining who is eligible to participate in nomination exercises.

Beyond the PDP’s difficulties in Gombe and Ogun, the final list has drawn attention to the candidacy of Kingsley Ogundu Chinda in Rivers State. Chinda, a member of the House of Representatives and an ally of Federal Capital Territory Minister Nyesom Wike, is listed as the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate.

His inclusion has raised questions about the timing of his party registration and defection. Chinda registered with the APC on April 27, 2026, and publicly announced his departure from the PDP on June 2, while the APC had conducted its governorship primary on May 21. The sequence has prompted debate over his eligibility and compliance with party membership requirements.

The Rivers APC has defended Chinda’s candidacy and dismissed calls for his disqualification. The questions surrounding his nomination, however, illustrate the scrutiny that can follow when party membership, primary elections and defections intersect during an election cycle.

INEC’s final list also features several serving governors seeking another term, including Alex Otti of Abia State, Umaru Bago of Niger State, Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State, Hyacinth Alia of Benue State, Bassey Otu of Cross River State, Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi State and Peter Mbah of Enugu State.

For the PDP, the absence of Pantami and Adebutu represents more than a setback for two individual politicians. It raises concerns about the party’s ability to navigate nomination disputes and meet the legal requirements needed to participate in key governorship contests.

With the 2027 elections approaching, the developments in Gombe, Ogun and Rivers underline the growing importance of legal compliance in candidate selection. Political parties will need to ensure that their primaries, membership records and nomination processes withstand scrutiny if they hope to avoid costly disputes that could derail their electoral plans.