2027: INEC Gives Fresh Update On Gov’ship, Assembly Candidates List
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has disclosed that 66 out of 130 petitions challenging the final lists of governorship and State Houses of Assembly candidates for the 2027 general elections were successful.
This was just as the commission said it approved the inclusion of affected candidates and political parties, while rejecting complaints that lacked merit and removing names wrongly published on the final lists.
INEC announced the decisions in a statement issued on Thursday by Mohammed Kudu Haruna, Chairman of its Information and Voter Education Committee (IVEC).
According to the commission, the complaints followed the publication of the final lists of governorship and State Houses of Assembly candidates on October 10, 2026.
INEC said the petitions bordered on the omission of political parties, the inclusion of candidates whose names were absent from their parties’ membership registers and allegations of multiple nominations.
Explaining its decisions, the commission said, “Following a review of the complaints, relevant records and applicable legal provisions, the Commission found merit in some representations and approved the inclusion of affected candidates and their political parties, while complaints found to be without merit were declined.”
Giving a breakdown, INEC disclosed that it received 69 petitions from 12 political parties across 26 states over the governorship elections. Forty-one petitions succeeded, while 28 failed.
For the State Houses of Assembly elections, the commission received 61 petitions from 11 political parties across 11 states. Twenty-five petitions succeeded, while 36 were rejected.
The commission added that the affected candidates, political parties and states would be reflected in an updated list on its website.
Politics Nigeria reports that the announcement follows reports that INEC cleared former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Ali Pantami, and the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) governorship candidate in Kano State, Abdulsalam Gwarzo, to contest the 2027 elections.
Their clearance, however, remains subject to the outcomes of pending court cases.
INEC also rejected a petition by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in Ogun State, Oladipupo Ladi Adebutu, who had sought a review of his exclusion from the candidates’ list.
An official of the commission had earlier confirmed the rejection of Adebutu’s petition.
“He did not succeed,” the official said when asked about the Ogun PDP governorship candidate.
Reacting to the development, the Ogun State chapter of the PDP rejected reports surrounding Adebutu’s exclusion, describing them as fabricated by political opponents.
In a statement dated October 29, the party’s Publicity Secretary, Kayode Adebayo, insisted that Adebutu remained its authentic governorship candidate despite reports that INEC had rejected his petition.
The party maintained that no official INEC publication or statement had confirmed Adebutu’s exclusion from the 2027 candidates’ list.
It further insisted that Adebutu remained its legitimate candidate and would appear on the ballot in accordance with the Constitution, the Electoral Act and INEC guidelines.
The Ogun PDP urged its members and supporters to disregard the reports, adding that the party remained united ahead of the 2027 governorship election.
INEC, meanwhile, reaffirmed its commitment to transparency and the credibility of the electoral process.
“Once again, the Commission assures the public of its commitment to transparency and the credibility of the electoral process,” it added.
