The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Nigeria has delisted some candidates initially cleared for the 2027 elections. This decision was made after the commission published a list of candidates for governorship and state houses of assembly on October 10, 2026. The list did not include some notable candidates, such as Isa Ali Pantami, former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, and Ladi Adebutu, PDP governorship candidate in Ogun.
According to INEC, the exclusion of some candidates was due to their political parties' failure to submit membership registers as required by law. This requirement was upheld by a Supreme Court judgement on September 24, 2026, which affirmed the constitutionality of Section 77(5)-(7) of the Electoral Act, 2026. INEC applied this judgement while finalising the governorship candidates' list in compliance with Section 287(1) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended.
INEC had given political parties that believed their candidates had been wrongly omitted until October 24, 2026, to notify the commission. The commission received several petitions from parties and reviewed them in accordance with the law. Mohammed Haruna, Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee at INEC, confirmed that some candidates were cleared to contest the 2027 elections, subject to the outcomes of pending court cases.
Haruna stated that a total of 69 petitions were received from 12 political parties across 26 states for the governorship election. Out of these, 41 petitions succeeded while 28 failed. For the State Houses of Assembly, 61 petitions were received from 11 political parties across 11 states, with 25 succeeding and 36 failing. The commission approved the inclusion of affected candidates and their political parties, while complaints found to be without merit were declined.
The commission also approved the removal of candidates whose nominations were found to be inconsistent with the applicable legal requirements. This decision was made after verifying that their names were not on the register. INEC assured the public of its commitment to transparency and the credibility of the electoral process.
The affected candidates, political parties, and states will be reflected in the updated list on the Commission's website. INEC's decision to delist some candidates was made to ensure that the electoral process is fair and transparent. The commission's actions are in line with its mandate to ensure the integrity of the electoral process.
The delisting of some candidates has raised concerns among stakeholders, but INEC has assured that its actions are in accordance with the law. The commission's commitment to transparency and credibility is expected to boost public confidence in the electoral process. The updated list of candidates will be available on INEC's website for public scrutiny.
Key points
- INEC delisted some candidates due to parties' failure to submit membership registers as required by law.
- A total of 69 petitions were received for the governorship election, with 41 succeeding and 28 failing.
- The commission approved the inclusion of affected candidates and their political parties, while complaints found to be without merit were declined.
