The Independent National Electoral Commission 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 from the publication of the candidates’ list to notify it of any alleged wrongful exclusion.
INEC disclosed this in a statement issued on Tuesday by its National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Haruna, amid protests over the exclusion of several prominent politicians from the final list of governorship and State Houses of Assembly candidates.
Among those omitted were the Peoples Democratic Party governorship candidates in Ogun and Gombe states, Oladipupo Adebutu and Isa Ali Pantami, respectively.
Also missing from the list was the Nigeria Democratic Congress governorship candidate in Kano State, Aminu Gwarzo.
In Jigawa State, the African Democratic Congress protested the omission of its endorsed deputy governorship candidate, Aminu Ringim, alongside several other candidates.
The omissions have sparked protests and demands for clarification from affected political parties and candidates, some of whom have threatened legal action to secure their inclusion in the electoral process.
In a statement titled, “Clarification on the Omission of Some Candidates from the Final List for the 2027 Governorship Election,” INEC attributed its action to the Supreme Court’s judgment of September 24, 2026, in the case of INEC v. Zenith Labour Party, appeal number SC/CV/495/2026.
The commission said the apex court upheld the constitutionality of Sections 77(5), 77(6) and 77(7) of the Electoral Act, 2026, which prescribe requirements for political parties’ membership registers and their use in primaries, congresses and conventions.
“The general public is aware of the recent decision of the Supreme Court in INEC v. Zenith Labour Party, Appeal No. SC/CV/495/2026 delivered on 24th September, 2026,” the statement read.
INEC explained that the judgment followed its appeal against an earlier Court of Appeal decision that had nullified the disputed provisions of the Electoral Act.
According to the commission, the Supreme Court ruled that compliance with the membership-register requirements was mandatory for all political parties.
“However, the Supreme Court, in the aforementioned judgment, held that the provisions of Section 77(5)-(7) of the Electoral Act, 2026 are constitutional and mandatory for all political parties,” the commission stated.
The electoral body further explained that the court upheld Item 2 of its timetable and schedule of activities, which required political parties to submit their membership registers between April 21 and May 10, 2026.
INEC said the court also ruled that parties that failed to comply with the statutory requirements were ineligible to sponsor candidates for the elections.
“Furthermore, the court held that failure to comply with the provisions of Section 77(5)-(7) renders the defaulting political parties ineligible to sponsor any candidate for the election,” the statement added.
The commission said it applied the Supreme Court’s judgment when preparing the final list of governorship candidates, excluding parties that failed to meet the membership-register requirements.
It maintained that the decision was consistent with Section 287(1) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, which requires the relevant authorities to enforce judicial decisions.
INEC, however, clarified that the final lists of presidential and National Assembly candidates had been published on September 12, 2026, before the Supreme Court delivered its judgment on September 24.
The commission reiterated that parties that believed their candidates had been wrongly excluded from the governorship candidates’ list could still notify it within the statutory period.
“Under Section 32(2) of the Electoral Act, 2026, political parties that believe their candidates were wrongly left off the list have 14 days from the date of publication to notify the commission. The deadline is 24th October, 2026,” it stated.
The clarification comes amid concerns over the implications of the Supreme Court judgment for political parties and their candidates ahead of the governorship elections scheduled for February 6, 2027.
INEC assured Nigerians of its commitment to transparency, the rule of law and the credibility of the electoral process.
