The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has given political parties until October 24, 2026, to challenge the omission of their candidates from the final list for the 2027 governorship elections.
The commission said the deadline was in accordance with Section 32(2) of the Electoral Act, 2026, which allows political parties 14 days to notify it of alleged errors in the published candidates’ list.
INEC disclosed this in a statement issued on Tuesday by its National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Haruna.
Among those omitted from the list are the Peoples Democratic Party’s governorship candidates in Ogun and Gombe states, Oladipupo Adebutu and Isa Ali Pantami, respectively.
Also affected is the Nigeria Democratic Congress governorship candidate in Kano State, Aminu Gwarzo, while the African Democratic Congress in Jigawa State protested the omission of its endorsed deputy governorship candidate, Aminu Ringim, and other candidates.
The omissions have triggered protests and calls for clarification from affected parties, with some threatening legal action to secure their candidates’ inclusion.
INEC attributed its action to the Supreme Court judgment delivered on September 24, 2026, in INEC v. Zenith Labour Party, appeal number SC/CV/495/2026, which upheld the constitutionality of Sections 77(5), 77(6) and 77(7) of the Electoral Act, 2026.
The provisions require political parties to submit their membership registers to the commission within the stipulated period and use the registers for their primaries, congresses and conventions.
According to INEC, the Supreme Court also upheld its timetable requiring political parties to submit their membership registers between April 21 and May 10, 2026.
The commission said the court ruled that parties that failed to comply with the requirements were ineligible to sponsor candidates for the elections.
INEC explained that it applied the judgment while finalising the governorship candidates’ list, excluding parties that failed to meet the membership-register requirements.
It added that the action was consistent with Section 287(1) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, which requires authorities to enforce court decisions.
The commission, however, noted that the final lists of presidential and National Assembly candidates had been published on September 12, 2026, before the Supreme Court delivered its judgment.
INEC urged affected political parties to notify it of any alleged wrongful omission within the stipulated period, stressing that the deadline for submitting such complaints was October 24, 2026.
The clarification comes ahead of the February 6, 2027 governorship elections, amid concerns over the implications of the Supreme Court judgment for political parties and their candidates.
INEC reaffirmed its commitment to transparency, the rule of law and the credibility of the electoral process.