Nigeria, Oct. 14 -- The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has explained its decision to exclude the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidates in Gombe, Isa Pantami, and in Ogun State, Ladi Adebutu, from its final list of candidates for the 6 February 2027 governorship elections.

In a statement by its spokesperson, Mohammed Haruna, INEC said the decision stemmed from their political parties' failure to comply with the membership register requirements under Section 77(5)-(7) of the Electoral Act, 2026, and were ineligible to sponsor candidates in the elections.

INEC said it applied the sections of the law after it won the case challenging the application of the sections of the Electoral Act at the Supreme Court, following a...