The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) have indicated plans to challenge the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in court if the commission fails to address the exclusion of their candidates from the list for the 2027 governorship elections before October 24.
The parties said they had submitted formal complaints to the electoral umpire but were yet to receive responses that could resolve the dispute, raising the prospect of legal battles over the eligibility of some contestants ahead of the polls.
The PDP National Publicity Secretary, Mohammed Jungudo, and the NDC spokesperson, Osa Director, disclosed their parties’ positions in separate interviews, stressing that they would pursue available legal options if INEC failed to correct what they considered wrongful omissions within the period prescribed by law.
The controversy emerged after INEC released its final list of candidates for the February 6, 2027 governorship elections on October 10. The document, signed by the commission’s Secretary, Rose Oriaran-Anthony, excluded several candidates following developments linked to a Supreme Court judgment on party membership and registration data.
Among those missing from the published list were former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof. Isa Pantami, the PDP governorship candidate in Gombe State, and Oladipupo Adebutu, the party’s flagbearer in Ogun State.
Other affected politicians included Aminu Gwarzo, the NDC governorship candidate in Kano State; former Senator Danjuma Tella La’ah in Kaduna State; and Prof. Sebastine Hon (SAN), the Social Democratic Party’s candidate in Benue State.
INEC, in a statement dated October 13, attributed the exclusions to the failure of the affected political parties to submit their membership registers as required by law.
The commission referred to Section 32(2) of the Electoral Act, 2026, which allows political parties that believe their candidates were wrongly excluded to notify INEC within 14 days of the publication of the final list.
The October 24 deadline has consequently become a critical date for the affected parties, which must determine whether their complaints can be resolved administratively or whether judicial intervention will be necessary.
Jungudo said the PDP had continued to engage the commission through its leadership and the legal teams representing affected candidates, but the discussions had yet to yield tangible results.
Read also: Tinubu’s receipt of UN’s 2027 budget proposal marks rare milestone in Nigeria’s global role
He stated, “We are still engaging them, but there is a tendency, a likelihood, that we may end up in litigation. As of last week Friday, there was no development. There is nothing forthcoming. There is no headway and no development.
“However, if, at the end of the day, we are still within the window provided by the guidelines, we will wait and exhaust the 14 days to see what comes out of it. If nothing comes out of it, then we will have no option other than to explore legal remedies.
“As you can see, Pantami’s lawyers have already written to INEC. We are still hopeful that the 14-day window provided by law will bring us something positive. But if nothing comes out of it, we will explore legal remedies.”
The PDP spokesman’s comments indicate that the party intends to allow the statutory period to run its course before deciding on its next move. The reference to Pantami’s legal team also suggests that individual candidates are pursuing their own efforts to secure clarification or a review of their exclusion.
The NDC, meanwhile, said it had complied with the requirement to formally notify INEC but was still waiting for the commission to respond to its correspondence.
Director said the party remained hopeful that the matter would be resolved before the deadline, although it was prepared to take further action if the omissions persisted.
He stated, “We have written to the commission, and they have received and acknowledged our letters. We have communicated with them as required by law, but, as of now, they are yet to respond to our letters.
“However, there is still time, as the 14-day window expires on October 24. We are hopeful that the commission will respond before then.
“But if it fails to address the omission of our candidates from the list, we will, as a law-abiding party, take other lawful steps to ensure that the right thing is done.”
The dispute highlights the procedural and legal challenges that can arise when political parties contest the exclusion of their candidates from official election lists. While the affected parties are seeking a review of INEC’s decision, the commission has maintained that the omissions stemmed from failures to meet statutory requirements for submitting membership registers.
The post PDP, NDC consider court action as INEC faces October 24 deadline over excluded 2027 candidates appeared first on Latest Nigeria News | Top Stories from Ripples Nigeria.