The Campaign for Democracy (CD) has warned the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) against political manipulation and interference following the omission of some governorship candidates from its list for the 2027 general elections.
The pro-democracy group expressed concern over the exclusion of candidates from different political parties, particularly the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidates in Gombe and Ogun states, Isa Pantami and Ladi Adebutu, respectively, as well as Adebutu’s running mate, Yemi Sowunmi-Kolapo.
In a statement signed by its President, Comrade Ifeanyi Odili, and released on Wednesday, the organisation questioned why the candidates were missing from INEC’s latest list despite having appeared in an earlier publication released on August 29, 2026.
The group said the circumstances surrounding the omissions were particularly troubling because of previous claims by members and supporters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ogun State that Adebutu would not be allowed to contest the election.
CD said: “The timing of the omissions was even more disturbing, and this was where we became concerned and alarmed.
“A particular instance was that of Ogun State where the state’s citizens had witnessed repeated claims and apparent triumphalism by elements within the All Progressives Congress (APC) and their supporters that the PDP governorship candidate would be disqualified from participating in the forthcoming election.
“As if to validate that boast, INEC published a list that excluded both PDP candidates without stating the reason for their omission.”
The organisation said the sequence of events had raised questions about the electoral commission’s independence and impartiality ahead of the 2027 elections.
It added: “This troubling sequence of events raises legitimate questions about the independence and impartiality of the Commission that Nigerians cannot afford to ignore.”
The group called on INEC Chairman, Joash Amupitan, to demonstrate the commission’s commitment to transparency, fairness and strict compliance with electoral laws, warning that the controversy could undermine public confidence in the electoral process.
CD said: “Under your leadership, Mr. Chairman, INEC bears an enormous responsibility to demonstrate impartiality, transparency, and strict adherence to the law.
“Unfortunately, this development has raised serious doubts about the Commission’s preparedness to conduct a credible, transparent, and inclusive election in 2027.
“The clarification by the Commission published late yesterday, three days after the incident was belated.”
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The organisation maintained that the affected candidates had emerged through party primaries monitored by INEC and should not have been omitted from the final list without an immediate explanation.
It said: “To the best of our knowledge, these are candidates that emerged through the primaries conducted by their various political Parties which were monitored by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Information in the public domain shows clearly that these candidates were on the earlier list published on the 29th of August, 2026.
“Even though the Commission has just published a belated clarification on the incident, we consider this development deeply troubling and a serious blow to public confidence in the electoral process, particularly because the published list provided no immediate explanation for the omissions of the governorship and other candidates.”
CD, which was established in 1991 and played a prominent role in the campaign for the restoration of civil rule in 1999, said it was intervening because the controversy threatened political pluralism and participatory democracy.
The group warned Amupitan against any action that could heighten political tensions, stressing that an electoral umpire must not only be independent but must also be seen to be impartial.
It also expressed concern that the delayed clarification could have heightened anxiety in the affected states and potentially triggered violence before the commission addressed the matter.
The organisation demanded an immediate investigation into allegations circulating publicly that the names of some candidates had been electronically removed after their details were duly submitted to the commission.
CD vowed to mobilise citizens and pro-democracy organisations nationwide for lawful mass civic action if it believed political pluralism and participatory democracy were being threatened.
The group said: “We remind INEC that elections belong to the Nigerian people, not to any political party, individual, or governing interest. No institution should take actions that create the impression that opposition participation can be determined by administrative discretion without transparent, constitutional justification and due process.”
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