INEC Omission Of Opposition Candidates’ Names Disturbing- MURIC
The names of prominent gubernatorial candidates in the opposition camp were omitted in the list published yesterday by the Independent National electoral Commission (INEC). Meanwhile an Islamic human rights organisation, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has described the omissions as ‘very disturbing’.
The statement reads:
”The names of prominent political figures in the opposition camp were omitted in the list published yesterday by the Independent National electoral Commission (INEC).
”Among those ommitted were the names of the former minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Professor Isa Ali Pantami, who is the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and his counterpart in the Ogun State branch of the party, Chief Oladipupo Olatunde Adebutu.
”Also omitted was the name of the governorship candidate of the Kano branch of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) governorship candidate, Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo, (https://dailytrust.com/2027-ndcs-gwarzo-missing-on-kano-guber-list/).
”INEC’s axe also fell on NDC and African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidates for Cross Rivers State governorship election
(https://crimechannels.com/2027-adc-ndc-candidates-not-cleared-for-cross-river-state-governorship/).
*”MURIC finds the omissions very disturbing, and that is to say the least. We suspect a well coordinated manouver to outwit opposition parties by all means possible.*
*”The list released by INEC yesterday raises more questions than answers. Exempli gratias, why is it only the names of candidates of opposition parties that are missing? Why is it also the names of candidates of prominent opposition parties who are capable of challenging the ruling party that are missing? By the way, is the name of any ruling party’s gubernatorial candidate missing?*
”An equally disconcerting phenomenon is the fielding of the name of a candidate who allegedly forged his degree certificate and was forced to resign as minister. He is now the officially recognised governorship candidate of the ruling party in Enugu State. This compels the interrogation of the criteria used by INEC in arriving at its decision to omit the names of some candidates (https://dailytrust.com/minister-who-resigned-over-certificate-scandal-makes-inec-guber-list-tenders-waec-result/).
”With these developments, observers are constrained to arrive at the conclusion that INEC is either being overzealous or the electoral body is determined to deliver an overkill.
”MURIC is of the humble opinion that INEC should allow the performance of the APC administration to persuade the electorate instead of adopting rough tackles against the opposition. This is not good enough in a heavily globalized world.
“The fingers of the international community are itching to find undemocratic missteps capable of undermining a free, fair and credible elections as we approach 2027 polls. This must be avoided at all cost because of the dire consequences.
*”Sentiments apart, positive signs of good performance by the Tinubu administration have started emerging. The World bank’s endorsement of President Tinubu’s reforms last week is a strong indication of this.*
*”The World Bank welcomed Nigeria’s macroeconomic policy direction in its October 2026 report titled ‘Beyond the Federal Purse: How Higher Revenues Reshaped State Priorities’ (https:www.tvcnews.tv-world-bank-report-confirms-economic-reforms-are-working-tinubu/).*
”An objective critique of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s economic reforms which includes the removal of petrol subsidy, the floating of the naira and the students’ loan scheme have all received pass marks from many analysts. Even the authoritative Economist magazine has predicted Tinubu’s victory (https://www.arise.tv/the-economist-magazine-says-tinubu-could-win-2027-despite-growing-public-discontent/).
”In particular, the naira has weathered the storm, found its true level and become relatively stable. Subsidy may still remain a contentious issue but few people have found fault with the students’ loan scheme.
*”To that extent, therefore, the Tinubu administration does not need a place-holder electoral body. INEC’s current performance only diminishes the good works of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and that of the hardworking Director General of the ruling party’s campaign council and the equally unassuming chairman of the party.*
*”We said it a long time ago. A man who took it upon himself to write an 80-page legal brief replete with falsehoods on the basis of which Nigeria was labelled a Christian-killer Nation by the United States cannot be a good electoral referee. President Tinubu still has a choice to make.”*
