The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has given political parties until October 24, 2026, to report the omission of their candidates from the final list for the 2027 governorship elections.
The decision provides a limited opportunity for affected parties to seek clarification and challenge the exclusion of their candidates ahead of the elections scheduled for February 6, 2027.
Among those whose names were missing from the final list are Isa Ali Pantami, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in Gombe State, and Oladipupo Adebutu, the party’s candidate in Ogun State.
Other affected candidates include Abdulsalam Gwarzo of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) in Kano State and Danjuma La’ah, the NDC candidate in Kaduna State. The Social Democratic Party (SDP) has also alleged that four of its candidates were omitted from the list.
INEC announced the deadline in a statement issued on Tuesday, October 13, and signed by Mohammed Kudu Haruna, the National Commissioner and Chairman of its Information and Voter Education Committee.
According to the commission, political parties that believe their candidates were wrongly excluded can formally notify INEC within the period provided under Section 32(2) of the Electoral Act, 2026.
The commission confirmed that October 24, 2026, is the final date for submitting such notifications.
WHY INEC OMITTED SOME CANDIDATES
INEC attributed the omissions to the failure of some political parties to submit their membership registers within the period stipulated by law.
The development followed a Supreme Court judgment delivered on September 24, 2026, in the case of INEC v. Zenith Labour Party, Appeal No. SC/CV/495/2026.
The judgment upheld provisions of Section 77(5)–(7) of the Electoral Act, 2026, concerning the submission of political party membership registers as a requirement for sponsoring candidates in elections.
INEC had earlier directed political parties to submit their membership registers between April 21 and May 10, 2026. According to the commission, parties that failed to comply with the statutory requirement were ineligible to sponsor candidates in the affected elections.
The electoral body said it relied on the Supreme Court’s decision when preparing the final list of governorship candidates, in line with Section 287(1) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, which requires compliance with decisions of superior courts.
INEC also explained that the final lists of presidential and National Assembly candidates had been published on September 12, 2026, before the Supreme Court delivered its judgment 13 days later.
PDP DEMANDS EXPLANATION FROM INEC
The exclusion of some candidates has generated reactions from affected political parties, particularly the PDP, which has demanded an explanation from the electoral commission.
On Monday, the party gave INEC 48 hours to explain why its candidates were missing from the final list. It also warned that it would announce its next course of action if the commission failed to address its concerns.
The omissions have raised questions about the participation of the affected candidates in the forthcoming elections and the steps their parties can take to resolve the matter.
For the PDP and NDC, the October 24 deadline represents an important opportunity to formally notify INEC and seek a resolution through the appropriate legal and administrative channels.
INEC has reiterated its commitment to transparency, the rule of law and the credibility of Nigeria’s electoral process.
With the deadline approaching, the affected political parties face a limited period to pursue their complaints as preparations continue for the 2027 governorship elections.
