The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has published the final list of candidates contesting for various elective positions across the country in the 2027 general elections.
The release of the final list sparked varying reactions from politicians and their supporters across the various political parties and groups.
The list published by the commission on its website on Saturday has the names of 18 candidates contesting the presidential poll, as well as those of governorship and National Assembly contestants.
The names of the presidential candidates include President Bola Tinubu of the APC, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of the African Democratic Congress, Peter Obi of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, Omoyele Sowore of the African Action Congress and Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde, listed under the Allied Peoples Movement.
The list also includes governorship candidates across 26 states, including Abia, Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Bauchi, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Ebonyi, Enugu, Gombe, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Kwara, Lagos, Nasarawa, Ogun, Oyo, Plateau, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe, Rivers and Zamfara.
A number of prominent names were visibly missing from the list including a former minister of Communication, Isa Pantami, the PDP governorship candidate in Gombe State; Ladi Adebutu, the party’s candidate in Ogun State, and Nigeria Democratic Congress governorship candidate in Kano State, Aminu Gwarzo.
Adebutu’s running mate, Alhaja Yemi Sowunmi-Kolapo, was also absent. The Accord Party governorship candidate in Ogun, Alhaji Olaniyi Agbongboakala, was similarly missing.
It was not immediately clear if the omissions were linked to a recent Supreme Court judgement on the conditions political parties must satisfy in selecting candidates for elective offices.
The judgment had raised questions about the validity of some nominations, including compliance with party membership requirements and the conduct of primary elections.
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