INEC
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has approved 41 petitions challenging the final list of candidates for the 2027 governorship elections, while rejecting 28 others submitted by political parties across the country.
The commission also approved 25 petitions concerning candidates for the State Houses of Assembly elections, while 36 were unsuccessful.
INEC disclosed this in a statement issued on Thursday by the Chairman of its Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Kudu Haruna, following a review of complaints received after the publication of the final lists of governorship and State Houses of Assembly candidates on October 10, 2026.
According to the commission, it received 69 petitions from 12 political parties across 26 states over the governorship election. For the State Houses of Assembly elections, it received 61 petitions from 11 political parties across 11 states.
The complaints bordered on the omission of political parties, the inclusion of candidates whose names were absent from the membership registers submitted by their parties, and alleged multiple nominations.
INEC said it reviewed the complaints alongside relevant records and applicable legal provisions, approving requests it found to have merit and rejecting those that did not meet the required criteria.
It also confirmed that some candidates initially included in the final list had been removed after the commission verified that their names were not contained in the membership registers submitted by their political parties.
“The Commission also approved the removal of candidates whose nominations were found to be inconsistent with the applicable legal requirements,” the statement said.
The review follows concerns over the omission of some prominent candidates from the initial list, including former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Ali Pantami, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in Gombe State; Ladi Adebutu, the PDP candidate in Ogun State; and Abdulsalam Gwarzo, the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) governorship candidate in Kano State.
INEC had previously explained that the submission of membership registers by political parties was a legal requirement, citing a September 24, 2026, Supreme Court judgment affirming the constitutionality of Section 77(5)-(7) of the Electoral Act, 2026.
The commission said the affected candidates, political parties and states would be reflected in an updated list on its website.
INEC reiterated its commitment to transparency and the credibility of the electoral process.
