morganaBLE Politics/elections
The controversy followed a September 24 judgment of the Supreme Court in the case involving INEC and the Zenith Labour Party, which affirmed the constitutionality of provisions regulating political party membership registers and the nomination of candidates.
Kano—
The Independent National Electoral Commission has given political parties whose candidates were omitted from the final list for the 2027 governorship elections until October 24, 2026, to lodge complaints and seek corrections over their exclusion.
The commission said affected political parties had 14 days from the publication of the final list to notify it of alleged errors, in accordance with Section 32(2) of the Electoral Act, 2026.
INEC disclosed this in a statement issued on Tuesday by its National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Haruna, following growing controversy over the exclusion of several prominent politicians from the governorship and State Houses of Assembly candidates’ lists.
Among those affected are the Peoples Democratic Party governorship candidates in Ogun and Gombe states, Oladipupo Adebutu and Isa Ali Pantami, respectively.
Also missing from the list is the Nigeria Democratic Congress governorship candidate in Kano State, Aminu Gwarzo, while the African Democratic Congress in Jigawa State has protested the omission of its endorsed deputy governorship candidate, Aminu Ringim, alongside several other candidates.
The development has generated protests among affected political parties, with some demanding immediate clarification from the electoral umpire and threatening legal action to secure the inclusion of their candidates ahead of the February 6, 2027 governorship elections.
The controversy followed a September 24 judgment of the Supreme Court in the case involving INEC and the Zenith Labour Party, which affirmed the constitutionality of provisions regulating political party membership registers and the nomination of candidates.
In its statement titled, “Clarification on the Omission of Some Candidates from the Final List for the 2027 Governorship Election,” the commission explained that the Supreme Court upheld Sections 77(5), 77(6) and 77(7) of the Electoral Act, 2026.
The provisions mandate political parties to submit their membership registers to INEC within the prescribed period and rely on the registers when conducting primaries, congresses and conventions.
According to the commission, the judgment followed its appeal against an earlier decision of the Court of Appeal, which had declared the disputed provisions of the Electoral Act invalid.
“The general public is aware of the recent decision of the Supreme Court in INEC v. Zenith Labour Party, Appeal No. SC/CV/495/2026 delivered on 24th September, 2026,” the commission stated.
INEC explained that the apex court ruled that compliance with the relevant provisions of the Electoral Act was compulsory for all registered political parties intending to participate in the elections.
“However, the Supreme Court, in the aforementioned judgment, held that the provisions of Section 77(5)-(7) of the Electoral Act, 2026 are constitutional and mandatory for all political parties,” the statement read.
The commission further disclosed that the court upheld Item No. 2 of its timetable and schedule of activities for the 2027 elections, which required political parties to submit their membership registers between April 21 and May 10, 2026.
It maintained that the judgment established that political parties which failed to comply with the statutory requirements would not be eligible to sponsor candidates for the affected elections.
“Furthermore, the court held that failure to comply with the provisions of Section 77(5)-(7) renders the defaulting political parties ineligible to sponsor any candidate for the election,” INEC added.
The electoral body explained that it relied on the Supreme Court’s interpretation of the law while preparing and publishing the final list of governorship candidates.
It stated that parties found to have failed to comply with the membership-register requirements were consequently excluded from sponsoring candidates in accordance with the judgment.
INEC maintained that its decision was guided by Section 287(1) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, which requires relevant authorities to give effect to decisions of the Supreme Court.
The commission, however, clarified that the final lists of presidential and National Assembly candidates had already been published on September 12, 2026, before the apex court delivered its judgment on September 24.
It stressed that political parties dissatisfied with the omission of their candidates from the governorship list could formally notify the commission within the statutory period.
“Under Section 32(2) of the Electoral Act, 2026, political parties that believe their candidates were wrongly left off the list have 14 days from the date of publication to notify the commission. The deadline is 24th October, 2026,” the statement added.
The clarification provides an opportunity for affected parties to challenge what they consider wrongful exclusions, although the commission did not indicate that submitting complaints would automatically guarantee the reinstatement of candidates.
The controversy comes amid political realignments ahead of the 2027 general election, with the ruling All Progressives Congress expanding its presidential campaign structure to accommodate prominent figures from opposition parties.
On Tuesday, the APC included the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike; Anambra State Governor, Chukwuma Soludo; and Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, in its revised Presidential Campaign Council for President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid.
The development received support from their respective political parties, including the PDP, All Progressives Grand Alliance and Accord.
The APC National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, confirmed that the ruling party had appealed to opposition politicians to support Tinubu’s re-election.
Speaking on Wike’s inclusion, the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP National Caretaker Committee, Jungudo Mohammed, said the minister had previously received the party’s approval to work with the President.
He maintained that Wike’s participation in Tinubu’s campaign did not automatically make him a member of the APC.
APGA also welcomed Soludo’s appointment as the Anambra State coordinator of Tinubu’s presidential campaign, describing the decision as well deserved.
Meanwhile, INEC reiterated its commitment to transparency, compliance with judicial decisions and the conduct of credible elections as political parties prepare for the 2027 polls.
