INEC approves 41 petitions, rejects 28 for 2027 governorship race
INEC has approved 41 petitions challenging the final list of candidates for the 2027 governorship elections while rejecting 28 others, according to a Thursday (October 29) statement from the commission's Information and Voter Education Committee chairman, Mohammed Kudu Haruna. The review covers complaints filed after INEC published the final candidate lists on October 10.
For governorship races, 12 political parties submitted 69 petitions across 26 states. For State Houses of Assembly, 11 parties filed 61 petitions across 11 states. Complaints centred on omitted parties, candidates missing from submitted membership registers, and alleged multiple nominations. INEC also approved 25 assembly petitions and rejected 36.
The commission confirmed some candidates initially listed have been removed after verification showed their names were absent from party membership registers—a requirement upheld by a September 24 Supreme Court judgment affirming Section 77(5)-(7) of the Electoral Act 2026. Notable names affected include former Communications Minister Isa Ali Pantami (PDP, Gombe), Ladi Adebutu (PDP, Ogun), and Abdulsalam Gwarzo (NDC, Kano).
An updated candidate list reflecting these changes will be published on INEC's website. With the 2027 elections approaching, parties and candidates have limited time to resolve nomination disputes before campaigns fully begin.
If your preferred candidate was removed, what's your plan—support the replacement, switch parties, or sit this one out?