The Peoples Democratic Party and the Nigeria Democratic Congress have vowed to take legal action against the Independent National Electoral Commission if it fails to include their omitted candidates in the list for the 2027 general elections.
The PDP National Publicity Secretary, Mohammed Jungudo, and his NDC counterpart, Osa Director, told The PUNCH in exclusive interviews that their parties would consider legal action if the situation remained unchanged by October 24.
Following a Supreme Court judgment on party membership and registration data, the Independent National Electoral Commission published its final list of candidates for the February 6, 2027 governorship elections on October 10 and excluded some candidates.
The lists, signed by INEC Secretary, Rose Oriaran-Anthony, featured 13 candidates.
Among the notable politicians left out were former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof. Isa Pantami, the PDP governorship candidate in Gombe State, and the party’s candidate in Ogun State, Oladipupo Adebutu.
Other affected contestants included the New Democratic Congress governorship candidate in Kano State, Aminu Gwarzo; former Senator Danjuma Tella La’ah in Kaduna State; and the Social Democratic Party’s candidate in Benue State, Prof. Sebastine Hon (SAN).
In a statement issued on October 13, the commission said some candidates were excluded from the final list because their political parties failed to submit their membership registers as required by law.
INEC added that, under Section 32(2) of the Electoral Act, 2026, political parties that believed their candidates had been wrongly omitted had 14 days from the date of publication to notify the commission.
The commission set October 24, 2026, as the deadline for the submission of such notifications.
Reacting, PDP National Publicity Secretary said the party’s leadership and candidates’ legal team had contacted INEC, but there had been no change in the situation.
He stated, “We are still engaging them, but there is a tendency, a likelihood, that we may end up in litigation. As of last week Friday, there was no development. There is nothing forthcoming. There is no headway and no development.
“However, if, at the end of the day, we are still within the window provided by the guidelines, we will wait and exhaust the 14 days to see what comes out of it. If nothing comes out of it, then we will have no option other than to explore legal remedies.
“As you can see, Pantami’s lawyers have already written to INEC. We are still hopeful that the 14-day window provided by law will bring us something positive. But if nothing comes out of it, we will explore legal remedies.”
The NDC Publicity Secretary also said the party would pursue legal remedies after the expiration of the 14-day window.
He stated, “We have written to the commission, and they have received and acknowledged our letters. We have communicated with them as required by law, but, as of now, they are yet to respond to our letters.
“However, there is still time, as the 14-day window expires on October 24. We are hopeful that the commission will respond before then.
“But if it fails to address the omission of our candidates from the list, we will, as a law-abiding party, take other lawful steps to ensure that the right thing is done.”