The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has included the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Ali Pantami, on its list of governorship candidates for Gombe State under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

The commission released an updated final list of governorship candidates for the 2027 elections on Saturday, following a review of court judgments and submissions by political parties.

However, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) governorship candidate in Kano State, Abdulsalam Gwarzo, remains excluded from the list due to an existing court order.

INEC explained that Pantami’s inclusion followed his compliance with all legal requirements, while Gwarzo’s case remains before the court. The commission said his name could only be added after the relevant court order is vacated.

In its statement, the commission said: “INEC updates final governorship list: Prof. Isa Ali Pantami, PDP, now included for Gombe, Kano NDC’s Gwarzo still omitted under court order.”

INEC added that the updated final list would be published on its website and displayed at all its state offices.

The development followed complaints from some candidates and political parties after the commission omitted several names from its initial list of candidates for the 2027 general elections.

Pantami and Gwarzo were among the prominent governorship hopefuls whose names were missing from the list released by INEC in October.

At the time, the commission attributed the omissions to alleged failures by some political parties to comply with provisions of the Electoral Act 2026, particularly the requirement to submit their membership registers.

INEC said its position was informed by a September 24, 2026, Supreme Court judgment, which upheld the constitutionality of Section 77(5) to (7) of the Electoral Act. The provisions make the submission of party membership registers compulsory.

Meanwhile, Gwarzo had approached the court to challenge the exclusion of his name and that of his running mate, Rabiu Mustapha, from the list of governorship candidates in Kano State.

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has condemned the attacks on the African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, and the ADC governorship candidate in Sokoto State, Manir Muhammad Dan’iya.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

In a statement posted on his X handle on Saturday, Atiku described the incidents as a serious threat to democracy, accusing the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of using intimidation and oppression against opposition politicians and their supporters.

He also criticised President Bola Tinubu’s administration, alleging that its actions had created an environment in which opposition candidates could no longer feel safe. He warned that the country was moving towards dictatorship.

Atiku called for immediate and transparent investigations into the attacks on Sowore and Dan’iya, while urging Tinubu to caution his supporters against intimidating political opponents.

The statement read:

“The simultaneous attacks on the presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore @sowore, and the governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Sokoto State, His Excellency Manir Muhammad Dan’iya, are deeply troubling and unacceptable.

“These twin assaults expose the extent to which the ruling APC administration is prepared to oppress and intimidate opposition leaders and their supporters.

“It is particularly disturbing that while President Bola Tinubu is away on spiritual pilgrimage, political enforcers and thugs loyal to his party are unleashing terror on his political opponents at home. These two realities cannot coexist in a democracy.

“The continued attacks on opposition figures and the unexplained disappearance of critical social media influencers are clear red flags of a dangerous slide toward a censored state where the opposition is crushed by the brute force of the current government. These incidents are unbecoming of any democratic government and starkly reveal the desperation of the Tinubu administration.

“We therefore demand immediate and transparent investigations into both attacks. The Tinubu government must refrain from any attempt to muzz

A professor of political economy, Pat Utomi, has cautioned young Nigerians against allowing politicians to use them as instruments for advancing their personal interests.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Utomi urged youths to abandon political thuggery and stop carrying out violent activities on behalf of politicians.

He gave the warning in a post on his X handle on Saturday.

The political economist lamented that corrupt politicians offer young people little in return for the chaos they create in their communities, while continuing to benefit from the violence and disorder.

He also challenged the youths to consider whether their parents would be proud of them for engaging in such activities and whether they would still want to be involved in political thuggery when they turn 50.

“To every young man doing agbero (thuggery) work for corrupt politicians, I want you to sit down and ask yourself an important question, Is this what you will still be doing at 50? Are your parents proud of what you are doing?

“These corrupt politicians will feed you crumbs while continuing to profit from the chaos they are creating in your neighbourhoods,” Utomi wrote.

He further warned young Nigerians against allowing themselves to become tools of violence ahead of the 2027 general elections.

“Come 2027, please do not allow yourself to become an instrument of destruction in these men’s hands. You deserve better,” he added.