2027: Parties kick as INEC omits key governorship candidates

Political parties and candidates whose names were omitted from the final lists of governorship and state Houses of Assembly contestants released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) are protesting their exclusion. While some viewed their omission as an error on the part of the electoral umpire and commenced moves to address it with INEC, others vowed to use available legal means to restore their names to the list.

INEC released final lists of governorship candidates in 28 states and House of Assembly candidates in 36 states where elections have been scheduled for February 6, 2027. It had earlier released the list of candidates for presidential and national assembly polls billed for January 16, 2027. Parties affected by the omission spree include the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Social Democratic Party (SDP), and African Democratic Congress (ADC). PDP governorship candidates in Oyo and Gombe were not listed, nor were ADC in Cross River and SDP in Benue.

The NDC blamed an error for the omission of its Kano State governorship candidate, Aminu Abdulsalam Gwarzo comrade, and his running mate, Mustapha Rabi’u Kwankwaso, from the list of candidates published by INEC. Yusuf Ibrahim Kofarmata Dr, secretary of the Kwankwasiyya Caucus and the NDC House of Representatives candidate in Kano, said in a statement that the party received assurances that the omission resulted from an error in entering the candidate details.

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Kofarmata said INEC was working to correct the problem and expressed confidence that the names would be included. He noted that Gwarzo completed his registration within the period set by INEC and that the party submitted the candidate details through the commission’s online portal. Kofarmata urged party supporters to remain calm and continue their activities despite the development.

Disturbed by the omission of some governorship candidates, the national leadership of the NDC vowed to use every available legal means to ensure that candidate names were restored to the list. Speaking with Vanguard, NDC National Publicity Secretary Osa Director said the party was looking into the matter and would use legal channels, noting that INEC reportedly issued a press statement mentioning glitches and upcoming clarifications.

Meanwhile, PDP governorship candidate in Ogun State for the 2027 election, Oladipupo Adebutu, declared that the omission of his name should not be interpreted as the end of his governorship ambition. Adebutu urged members, supporters, and the people of Ogun State to remain calm, insisting that he remained a duly registered member of the PDP and that the primary producing him was conducted with INEC officials observing. PDP National Publicity Secretary Jungudo Haruna Mohammed added that the party had begun engaging INEC to resolve the matter in line with electoral laws and guidelines.

In Cross River State, ADC and NDC governorship candidates were omitted from the list of eight contestants. NDC candidate John Upan Odey Jr told Vanguard that his name was omitted due to a bureaucratic error by INEC rather than a localised issue, noting that stakeholders would engage INEC to sort out the matter. Meanwhile, SDP governorship candidate in Benue State, Prof Sebastine Hon, SAN, described his omission as a minor error, expressing confidence that INEC would correct it.

In Delta State, 18 governorship candidates appeared on the published list, but the records contained a gender discrepancy, listing Chris Iyovwaye, governorship candidate of the NDC, as female despite being male. Stakeholders awaited access to the final list of candidates at the Delta State INEC office in Asaba, where officials had not yet granted access for inspection.