The Independent National Electoral Commission has left Ladi Adebutu's name off its published list of 2027 governorship candidates, a notable absence given that Adebutu ran as the Peoples Democratic Party's candidate in Ogun State.
Isa Pantami, a prominent figure in Nigerian politics, is also missing from the commission's list, making him another high-profile name conspicuously absent from INEC's official records ahead of the 2027 election cycle.
The omissions have raised questions about the accuracy and completeness of INEC's candidate documentation, with both men connected to parties that remain active in their respective states. Whether these are administrative oversights or something more deliberate is a conversation already brewing in political circles.
With 2027 still on the horizon, there is time for corrections, but in Nigerian electoral politics, details like these rarely go uncontested for long.
Originally published by BusinessDay.