INEC candidate list controversy sparks protests as parties challenge missing names, nomination disputes and alleged errors ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 elections
The Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) final list of candidates for Nigeria’s 2027 general elections has triggered fresh political tensions after several governorship and legislative candidates were omitted from the published document, prompting affected parties to demand clarification and seek remedies ahead of the polls.
Also read: SDP’s Adebayo Criticises Tinubu Over Yoruba Values
The controversy, reported on Monday, 12 October 2026, has affected politicians across several states, including former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Professor Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) governorship candidate in Gombe State, and Oladipupo Adebutu, the party’s flagbearer in Ogun State.
Other affected politicians include Aminu Gwarzo of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) in Kano State, former senator Danjuma Tella La’ah in Kaduna State, and Professor Sebastine Hon, SAN, the Social Democratic Party’s governorship candidate in Benue State.
The omissions have prompted a range of responses. While some political parties believe administrative or technical errors may be responsible, others are dealing with disagreements over nominations, internal leadership struggles and pending court cases.
INEC’s final list, signed by the commission’s Secretary, Rose Oriaran-Anthony, contains the candidates and running mates cleared to contest the 2027 elections.
However, the absence of names submitted by several parties has raised concerns about eligibility, compliance with electoral requirements and the legal options available to affected candidates.
The PDP said it had begun discussions with INEC over the omission of its governorship candidates in Ogun and Gombe states.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Jungudo Mohammed, said the party was pursuing an amicable resolution in line with the law and established electoral guidelines.
The party urged its candidates, members and supporters to remain calm while the discussions continued.
In Ogun State, Adebutu maintained that he remained a duly registered PDP member and had fulfilled the requirements for his candidacy.
He said he completed his digital membership registration within the prescribed period and that his membership card had been printed and verified before the relevant documents were submitted to INEC.
Adebutu also said the primary election that produced him as the party’s candidate was conducted in the presence of INEC officials, who attended as observers.
“I remain a duly registered member of the Peoples Democratic Party. I completed my digital registration within the stipulated period, and my membership card was printed and verified,” he said.
He alleged that the Ogun State PDP had faced undue pressure from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), questioning why his name was missing from the governorship list while the party’s candidates for legislative seats in the state had been included.
Kayode Odunaro, Special Adviser on Media to the APC governorship candidate, Senator Solomon Adeola, rejected the allegation. Odunaro argued that the PDP should accept responsibility if it had failed to comply with INEC’s administrative procedures and electoral requirements.
He maintained that the APC and its candidate were prepared to contest against any candidate recognised by the electoral commission.
In Gombe State, Pantami’s supporters also appealed for calm following the omission of his name.
Pantami emerged as the PDP governorship candidate after a fresh primary election held on 29 September 2026, following a Federal High Court order that necessitated another exercise to determine the party’s flagbearer.
Professor Suleiman Mohammed, spokesperson for the Pantamiyya Movement, described the omission as a temporary challenge and said the candidate’s legal and liaison teams were engaging the relevant party organs and INEC to seek a resolution within the period allowed by law.
The development has also affected the NDC in Kano State, where the party’s governorship candidate, Aminu Gwarzo, and his running mate, Mustapha Rabiu Kwankwaso, were reportedly missing from the final list.
The party’s state chairman, Hussaini Mairiga, said their names had been submitted in accordance with the applicable guidelines and statutory deadlines.
He attributed the omission to a possible administrative mix-up and expressed confidence that the issue would be resolved.
The party’s Public Relations Officer, Yusif Fasaha, similarly blamed a technical error, saying INEC had assured the party that the issue would be rectified.
However, the commission had not publicly confirmed that a computer error was responsible for the omission as of the time of the report.
In Kaduna State, the NDC’s governorship candidate and former senator, Danjuma Tella La’ah, was also absent from the list amid a dispute over the party’s ticket.
The party’s state chairman, Evangelist Mordecai Ibrahim, attributed the problem to inconsistencies in the registration of La’ah’s name, explaining that network problems during the online registration process had led to multiple registration attempts.
The omission came after an earlier disagreement within the party over whether La’ah or lawyer Mohammed Abbas should represent the NDC in the election.
The party had yet to publicly establish that the registration discrepancy was the sole reason for the omission.
The Action Alliance has threatened legal action over the exclusion of several of its governorship and legislative candidates.
The party’s National Chairman and presidential candidate, Aare Adekunle Omo-Aje, said its legal team was preparing a formal complaint to INEC.
The party identified its affected governorship candidates as Eke Israel in Rivers State, Titilola-Sodo Dayo in Oyo State, Abdullah-Bukharin in Nasarawa State and Zubairu Musa in Bauchi State.
Omo-Aje said the party had complied with the commission’s guidelines and deadlines, adding that it would continue to pursue the matter to prevent legitimate candidates from being excluded from the ballot.
In Jigawa State, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) protested the omission of its endorsed deputy governorship candidate, Aminu Ringim, whose name was replaced by Musa Balarabe on the published list.
The party’s Deputy State Chairman, Nuraddeen Jidawa, said Ringim and about seven other candidates endorsed by the party were missing despite the party’s claim that their details had been submitted in accordance with INEC’s guidelines.
The controversy has extended to other political parties and states. In Benue State, the SDP’s governorship candidate, Professor Sebastine Hon, was missing from the list.
The party’s state chairman, Idoko Itodo, described the omission as a possible error and said the party would take up the matter with INEC.
In Bauchi State, the SDP said it would convene an emergency meeting to discuss the omission of some candidates, including its governorship candidate.
The New Nigeria Peoples Party also expressed concern over the exclusion of its Bauchi governorship candidate, Ambassador Shuaibu Ahmed, whom the party said remained in the race while it pursued a resolution through lawful channels.
In Plateau State, a PDP candidate, Sunday Biggs, was also missing from the list, while Ropshik Wungak appeared as the party’s governorship candidate, with Kim Dung listed as running mate.
A party official linked the development to the leadership dispute between factions associated with FCT Minister Nyesom Wike and Tanimu Turaki, a matter reportedly pending before the Court of Appeal.
In Lagos State, the controversy has centred on disputes over party nominations and the replacement of candidates.
Ganiyu Egunjobi and Azeez Ninalowo, who reportedly won APC primaries in Agege Constituencies I and II, were subsequently dropped from the party’s final tickets and later defected to the Allied Peoples Movement.
The case of Noheem Adams, the Lagos State House of Assembly Majority Leader, also attracted attention.
Adams reportedly won the APC primary for Eti-Osa Constituency I with 7,638 votes, compared with 1,225 votes for Saheed Bankole. Bankole was subsequently listed as the party’s candidate by INEC.
In Oyo State, the SDP candidate, Mogaji Agboola, was omitted after the party reportedly replaced its earlier candidate, Michael Okunlade.
The development added to the wider concerns over nomination procedures and changes to party tickets.
Not all omissions, however, have been attributed to administrative errors or disputes within political parties.
In Kwara State, the African Action Congress governorship candidate, Duwatsu Musa, was excluded because he had not attained the constitutionally prescribed minimum age of 35 for governorship candidates.
Musa confirmed that he was 34 and would turn 35 in February 2027.
Section 177(b) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, stipulates that a person must have attained the age of 35 to qualify for election as governor.
Reacting to his exclusion, Musa said the decision would not prevent him from expressing his political views ahead of the election.
He also said he intended to announce the candidate he and his supporters would back.
The range of cases highlights the different issues surrounding the omissions, from alleged data-entry mistakes and nomination disputes to questions of constitutional eligibility and unresolved litigation.
For the affected candidates, the stakes are considerable.
Failure to resolve an omission within the applicable legal framework could prevent a candidate from appearing on the ballot, while prolonged disputes may deepen divisions within political parties and create uncertainty among supporters.
INEC had not publicly confirmed the explanations offered by several of the affected parties in the report.
The commission’s response, alongside any relevant court decisions and corrections to the published list, will be central to determining which candidates are ultimately recognised for the 2027 elections.
Also read: Atiku Is Leader Other Candidates Follow, Says Okonkwo
As political parties continue to engage the electoral commission, the controversy has placed renewed attention on the importance of accurate candidate records, transparent nomination procedures and timely resolution of electoral disputes.
