The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has released its final list of candidates for the 2027 governorship and House of Assembly elections. The list, published on the INEC website, has omitted the names of key candidates, including Ladi Adebutu of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun state and Isa Ali Pantami in Gombe state. Adebutu's omission comes amid questions over his name's absence from the PDP membership register submitted to INEC.
In Gombe state, Pantami recently suffered a legal setback when aggrieved members of the party took him to court, which granted their plea of non-membership of the former Minister of Digital Economy. Justice Amina Mohammed of the Federal High Court in Gombe on September 23 nullified Pantami's victory and directed the party to conduct another primary within 30 days. In a subsequent primary election conducted by the party on September 30, he won the ticket, but INEC's publication omitting his name appears to have confirmed the claims of party leaders who sued him.
Other candidates omitted from the list include Aminu Gwarzo of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) in Kano state and Musa Shugaba-Abdullahi in Nasarawa state. On the other hand, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate in River State, Kingsley Chinda, has been included in the list despite controversy over his nomination. The list also features aspirants from different age groups, ranging from young contenders to candidates in their sixties.
In Edo state, where only candidates for the House of Assembly would participate in the 2027 polls, an analysis of the final list released by INEC shows that 164 candidates will contest in the election. Among these candidates, 148 are men, representing 90.24 per cent, while only 16 are women, accounting for 9.76 per cent. These figures translate to an approximate male-to-female ratio of 9:1, underscoring the limited presence of women among those seeking to represent 24 constituencies in the state legislature.
The candidate list features a broad range of political parties, including the APC and the PDP, alongside the SDP, LP, ADC, ADP, NDC, APP, YPP, AAC, APM, AA, and NRM. The range of parties reflects participation beyond the country's two dominant political platforms. The Persons with Disabilities (PWD) column records "None" for every candidate on the list, indicating that no PWD would contest in the state Assembly election.
In Akwa Ibom state, incumbent Governor Umo Eno of the APC, Senator John Akpanudoedehe of the ADC, Mr Michael Bush, and Dr Michael Enyong of the NDC are among the 21 governorship candidates on INEC's final list for the 2027 election. The list has been signed by INEC Secretary Rose Oriaran-Anthony and published on the INEC website.
The release of the final list comes after the Supreme Court judgement on the regulatory powers of INEC over parties and the submission and use of political parties' membership registers for primaries, congresses, and conventions. The judgement has led to the omission of some candidates from the list, while others have been included despite controversy over their nominations.
Key points
- INEC omits PDP candidates in Ogun and Gombe states from the final list.
- The list features a broad range of political parties, including the APC and PDP.
- Women remain a small minority among candidates, with an approximate male-to-female ratio of 9:1.
