The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) released its final lists of governorship candidates in 28 states and House of Assembly candidates in 36 states on Saturday, October 12, 2026. However, several political parties and candidates noticed their names were missing from the lists. Affected parties include the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), People's Democratic Party (PDP), Social Democratic Party (SDP), and African Democratic Congress (ADC).
The NDC attributed the omission of its Kano State governorship candidate, Comrade Aminu Abdulsalam Gwarzo, and his running mate, Mustapha Rabi'u Kwankwaso, to an error. According to Dr. Yusuf Ibrahim Kofarmata, Secretary of the Kwankwasiyya Caucus and NDC House of Representatives candidate in Kano, the party submitted Gwarzo's details through INEC's online portal within the stipulated period. Kofarmata assured supporters that INEC was working to correct the issue.
The PDP's national leadership vowed to use all available legal means to ensure its candidates' names are restored on the list. NDC National Publicity Secretary, Osa Director, stated that the party would explore every legal avenue to address the omission of its candidates. INEC reportedly issued a press statement that some states experienced glitches and that further clarification would be made in the days ahead.
Oladipupo Adebutu, the PDP's governorship candidate in Ogun State, urged party members and supporters to remain calm despite his name being omitted from the list. Adebutu expressed confidence that the issue would be resolved and insisted that he remained a duly registered member of the PDP. He maintained that he fulfilled the necessary membership and documentation requirements within the stipulated period.
The PDP began engaging INEC over the omission of some of its candidates from the commission's final list. The party's National Publicity Secretary, Jungudo Haruna Mohammed, stated that the party was working with INEC to resolve the matter in line with electoral laws and guidelines. The PDP urged affected candidates, members, and supporters to remain calm.
In Cross River State, the ADC and NDC governorship candidates were omitted from the list of eight contestants. John Upan Odey Jr, the NDC candidate, attributed the omission to a bureaucratic error by INEC. He stated that stakeholders would engage INEC to sort out the matter. Meanwhile, Amb Nkoyo Toyo, the ADC candidate, said she would verify the information.
The SDP's governorship candidate in Benue State, Prof. Sebastine Hon, SAN, was also omitted from the list of candidates released by INEC. However, Hon described the development as an error and expressed confidence that INEC would correct it.
Key points
- Several Nigerian parties and candidates are challenging their exclusion from INEC's final list of governorship and state houses of assembly contestants for the 2027 elections.
- Affected parties include the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), People's Democratic Party (PDP), Social Democratic Party (SDP), and African Democratic Congress (ADC).
- The parties and candidates are seeking resolution through engagement with INEC or available legal means.
