The Independent National Electoral Commission 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 commission announced the deadline following controversy over the exclusion of prominent politicians, including Isa Ali Pantami, the Peoples Democratic Party governorship candidate in Gombe State, and Ladi Adebutu, the party’s candidate in Ogun State.
INEC said the deadline was in line with Section 32(2) of the Electoral Act, 2026, which allows political parties 14 days to notify the commission if they believe their candidates were wrongly omitted from the published list.
The commission’s clarification was contained in a statement issued by its National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Kudu Haruna, on Tuesday.
INEC explained that the omissions followed a Supreme Court judgment delivered on September 24, 2026, which upheld the constitutionality of provisions requiring political parties to submit their membership registers within the stipulated period.
According to the commission, the court ruled that political parties that failed to comply with the membership register requirements were ineligible to sponsor candidates in the elections.
INEC said it relied on the court’s decision when preparing the final list of governorship candidates, adding that its actions were consistent with the constitutional requirement to enforce court judgments.
Other affected candidates include Aminu Gwarzo of the Nigeria Democratic Congress in Kano State, while the African Democratic Congress in Jigawa State has also raised concerns over the omission of its endorsed deputy governorship candidate, Aminu Ringim.
The omissions have generated reactions from affected political parties, with some calling for clarification and considering legal action.
The 2027 governorship elections are scheduled for February 6, 2027. INEC said political parties seeking corrections to the list must notify the commission before the October 24 deadline.
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