The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) may face uncertainty over its participation in the 2027 Ogun State governorship election after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) omitted its candidate, Ladi Adebutu, and his running mate, Yemi Sowunmi-Kolapo, from the final list of candidates.

A check of INEC’s portal by Daily Trust reportedly showed that the list, signed by the commission’s Secretary, Rose Oriaran-Anthony, contained 13 governorship candidates and their running mates but did not include the PDP flagbearer and his deputy. The published report did not state why the two names were missing.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Solomon Adeola, popularly known as Yayi, and his running mate, Kudirat Abiodun Balogun, were included in the list. Jimi Lawal, an ally of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, was also listed as the African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate.

Other parties represented on the Ogun list include the A, AA, ADP, APM, APP, BP, NDP, NNPP, NRM, SDP and YPP. The omission of the PDP candidates raises questions about the party’s position in the race, although INEC’s reasons for excluding them were not stated in the report.

A similar development was reported in Gombe State, where former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, was absent from INEC’s final list of governorship candidates for the February 6, 2027 election. Pantami’s name had reportedly appeared on the provisional list released on August 29.

The final Gombe list contained 16 candidates, including Bala Bello Tinka of the ADC, Jamilu Isyaku Gwamna of the APC and Babayo Ardo Kumo of the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC). Other listed candidates included Zubairu Mu’azu Halilu of the Labour Party, Lamela L. Silas of the Allied Peoples Movement, Ibrahim Jalo Abubakar of the Peoples Redemption Party and Adamu Mohammed Ma’aji of the Social Democratic Party.

INEC has not been reported as publicly explaining the omissions of Adebutu and Pantami in the material provided. The circumstances surrounding the missing names therefore remain unclear.