The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has given political parties until October 24, 2026, to report the omission of their governorship candidates from the final list published ahead of the February 6, 2027 governorship elections.
The commission said the deadline complies with Section 32(2) of the Electoral Act, 2026, which allows political parties 14 days from the publication of the candidates’ list to notify INEC of candidates they believe were wrongly excluded.
Among the candidates missing from the list are the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) governorship candidates in Ogun and Gombe states, Oladipupo Adebutu and Isa Ali Pantami, respectively.
Also missing is Aminu Gwarzo, the Nigeria Democratic Congress governorship candidate in Kano State.
In Jigawa State, the African Democratic Congress protested the omission of its endorsed deputy governorship candidate, Aminu Ringim, alongside several other candidates.
The omissions have triggered protests and calls for clarification from affected political parties, with some threatening legal action.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Haruna, explained that the commission’s decision followed a Supreme Court judgment delivered on September 24, 2026, in INEC v. Zenith Labour Party, Appeal No. SC/CV/495/2026.
According to INEC, the Supreme Court upheld Sections 77(5), 77(6) and 77(7) of the Electoral Act, 2026, which require political parties to submit their membership registers to the commission within the prescribed period and use them for their primaries, congresses and conventions.
The commission said the court also upheld its election timetable, which required political parties to submit their membership registers between April 21 and May 10, 2026.
INEC further stated that the Supreme Court ruled that political parties that failed to comply with the membership-register requirements were ineligible to sponsor candidates for the elections.
“Furthermore, the court held that failure to comply with the provisions of Section 77(5)-(7) renders the defaulting political parties ineligible to sponsor any candidate for the election,” the statement read.
The commission explained that it relied on the judgment when preparing the final list of governorship candidates, excluding parties that failed to meet the membership-register requirements.
It added that its action was consistent with Section 287(1) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, which requires relevant authorities to enforce court decisions.
However, INEC noted that the final lists of presidential and National Assembly candidates had already been published on September 12, 2026, before the Supreme Court delivered its judgment on September 24.
The commission reiterated that political parties seeking corrections to the governorship candidates’ list must formally notify it by October 24.
“Under Section 32(2) of the Electoral Act, 2026, political parties that believe their candidates were wrongly left off the list have 14 days from the date of publication to notify the commission. The deadline is 24th October, 2026,” the statement added.
The clarification comes as political parties affected by the omissions seek explanations ahead of the February 6, 2027 governorship elections.
INEC reaffirmed its commitment to transparency, the rule of law and the credibility of the electoral process.
