INEC Explains Why Some 2027 Governorship Candidates Were Left Off the List

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has explained that it did not include some candidates in the final list for the 2027 governorship elections. This was because their political parties did not submit necessary membership registers on time.

This explanation comes after reactions from affected parties and candidates, including notable figures like Isa Pantami and Ladi Adebutu, who were excluded from the list. Pantami, a candidate from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Gombe, had recently won a court-ordered rerun of his party’s primary. Adebutu, also from the PDP, was missing along with his running mate.

The Ogun chapter of the PDP accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of pressuring INEC. Human rights lawyer Inibehe Effiong urged INEC to remain neutral in its decisions.

INEC’s National Commissioner, Mohammed Kudu Haruna, stated that the omissions were based on a Supreme Court ruling from September 24, 2026. This ruling confirmed that political parties must submit their membership registers by a specific deadline, which for this election was between April 21 and May 10, 2026.

According to INEC, the Supreme Court determined that parties that did not follow these rules could not sponsor candidates. The commission finalized the list of governorship candidates based on this ruling and the relevant sections of the 1999 Constitution.

INEC also mentioned that the final lists for presidential and National Assembly candidates were published on September 12, 2026, before the Supreme Court’s decision. Political parties that believe their candidates were wrongly omitted have until October 24, 2026, to inform INEC about the issue.

INEC reiterated its commitment to transparency and the integrity of the electoral process.