The African Democratic Congress in Jigawa State has expressed concern over the omission of its endorsed deputy governorship candidate, Aminu Ringim, from the Independent National Electoral Commission’s final list of candidates for the 2027 general elections.
Ringim’s name was missing from the list released by INEC on Saturday and was replaced with that of Musa Ya’u Balarabe, despite the party’s insistence that Ringim was its officially submitted running mate.
PUNCH Online learnt that Ringim confirmed the omission when contacted by telephone, but declined to comment on the development, directing our correspondent to party officials for clarification.
Our correspondent, who visited the INEC headquarters in Dutse, the state capital, on Sunday, sighted the final list pasted at the commission’s state headquarters. The list showed the ADC governorship candidate, Sabo Muhammad Nakudu, with a different running mate, whose nomination the party is disputing.
Efforts to obtain the party’s official position from its state chairman, Sani Gumel, were unsuccessful, as multiple calls put through to him did not connect as of the time of filing this report.
However, the ADC Deputy State Chairman, Nuraddeen Jidawa, confirmed Ringim’s omission in a telephone interview on Sunday.
Jidawa also disclosed that about seven other candidates endorsed by the party and whose names were submitted to INEC in accordance with the guidelines were missing from the final list.
He said, “As far as the party is concerned, Aminu Ibrahim Ringim remains the name officially submitted to INEC as running mate to its gubernatorial candidate, Sabo Muhammad Nakudu. The party doesn’t consider the released list as final. We will continue to reach out to the electoral umpire through any legal means”, Jidawa said, adding that although the party was not against any of its members, constitutional guidelines must be followed and respected.
According to him, the ADC was dissatisfied with the list of candidates released by INEC ahead of the 2027 general elections.
He described the development as a deliberate attempt to destabilise the party, not only in Jigawa State but across the country.
Jidawa vowed to continue engaging the commission over the omission of the party’s endorsed deputy governorship candidate and other candidates contesting in seven constituencies, including Hadejia/Auyo/Kafin Hausa, Kaugama and Birnin Kudu.
Blaming INEC for the confusion, he expressed hope that the matter would be resolved through the courts in accordance with the party’s constitution and the Electoral Act.
He urged party members, supporters and well-meaning Nigerians to remain calm and united while efforts continued to address what he described as irregularities under the current APC administration.
However, the Head of Department, Voter Education and Publicity, INEC Jigawa State, Adamu Sawaba, said the list pasted at the commission’s headquarters on Saturday remained the final list for the 2027 general elections.
Speaking to PUNCH Online by telephone on Sunday, Sawaba said, “The list we pasted yesterday (Saturday) is the final list as far as the electoral process is concerned for the coming 2027 general elections.”
He disclosed that the commission had received complaints concerning the names of some candidates.
“Yes, we heard and have been approached with some complaints regarding the names of a few candidates vying for positions in the 2027 general elections in the state, but this list is the final as INEC works are guided by law,” he said.
According to him, aggrieved candidates and parties should seek redress in court.
“So, any aggrieved candidates, parties or persons regarding the list can only go to court, as the court is the final determiner of every disagreement. When the court accepts their prayers, INEC is ever ready to accept and comply with that, but we don’t have the right to alter names,” Sawaba stated.
He further suggested that the development might be linked to party membership registration.
“The whole issue may not be unconnected with the stipulated party membership registration that is enshrined in the approved Electoral Act,” the head of department added.