2027: NAAM Seeks Clarification on Shehu Buba’s Inclusion, Pantami’s Exclusion
By Auwal Abdullah
The National Association of Achievers Movement (NAAM) has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to explain the inclusion of Senator Shehu Buba Umar as the Bauchi governorship candidate of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) and the exclusion of Professor Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami in Gombe State.
The group said the commission should clarify how it applied the Electoral Act 2026 to the affected candidates and demonstrate that the same legal standards were consistently enforced across political parties ahead of the 2027 general elections.
NAAM made the demand in a press statement dated October 21, following concerns over INEC’s final lists of governorship candidates and the Supreme Court judgment of September 24, 2026, concerning political party membership registers and nomination procedures.
2027: NAAM Seeks Clarification on Shehu Buba’s Inclusion, Pantami’s Exclusion
The association noted that Shehu Buba, a former member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), appeared on INEC’s list as the PRP governorship candidate after a dispute surrounding the APC nomination process.
It, however, stressed that its questions did not amount to an allegation that the senator violated the law, but sought clarification on whether his party membership, registration records and nomination documents satisfied the applicable statutory requirements.
The group also cited the exclusion of Pantami, who emerged from a fresh Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship primary following earlier litigation over the party’s nomination process.
According to the statement, INEC attributed the exclusion of Pantami and other affected candidates, including Ladi Adebutu in Ogun State, to non-compliance with membership-register requirements under Sections 77(5) and 77(7) of the Electoral Act 2026.
NAAM urged INEC to explain the specific legal grounds for the exclusions and clarify the basis for recognising candidates whose nomination circumstances have attracted public scrutiny.
It also referenced Kingsley Chinda in Rivers State and former Inspector-General of Police Mohammed Adamu in Nasarawa State, calling for transparency over their nominations.
The association emphasised that it was neither seeking the arbitrary disqualification of listed candidates nor demanding the automatic reinstatement of excluded aspirants.
It urged INEC to correct any established administrative errors through lawful procedures, insisting that electoral justice requires transparency, due process and equal treatment of candidates.
