INEC Sets October 24 Deadline for Parties to Report Omitted 2027 Governorship Candidates

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has given political parties until October 24, 2026, to report candidates allegedly omitted from the final list for the 2027 governorship elections.

The deadline follows controversy over the exclusion of several prominent politicians from the published candidate list, including Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidates Oladipupo Adebutu in Ogun State and former Communications Minister Isa Ali Pantami in Gombe State. <Cite refs={[“turn972945search5″,”turn972945search12”]}/>

In a statement issued on Tuesday, INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Haruna, said parties had 14 days from the publication of the list to notify the commission of alleged omissions.

He said the deadline was in line with Section 32(2) of the Electoral Act, 2026, which provides a statutory window for political parties to report candidates they believe were wrongly excluded.

Supreme Court Ruling at the Centre of the Dispute

INEC linked the controversy to a Supreme Court judgment delivered on September 24, 2026, in the case of INEC v. Zenith Labour Party, which addressed the constitutionality of provisions governing political party membership registers and candidate nominations.

The apex court restored Sections 77(5), 77(6) and 77(7) of the Electoral Act, 2026, after setting aside an earlier Court of Appeal decision that had declared the provisions unconstitutional. <Cite refs={[“turn972945search1″,”turn972945search3”]}/>

The provisions require political parties to submit their membership registers to INEC within the prescribed period before conducting primaries, congresses or conventions. They also restrict parties from using membership registers other than those formally submitted to the commission.

The Supreme Court upheld the requirement that parties submit their membership registers between April 21 and May 10, 2026, in accordance with INEC’s timetable for the 2027 general elections. <Cite refs={[“turn972945search0″,”turn972945search6”]}/>

Following the ruling, INEC said it was constitutionally required to give effect to the court’s decision. The commission maintained that parties that failed to comply with the statutory membership-register requirements were ineligible to sponsor candidates.

The dispute has raised questions about how the judgment affects parties whose candidates are missing from the final list. The legal requirements concern party compliance, while the circumstances surrounding individual nominations may differ.

Why the October 24 Deadline Matters

Haruna said the commission applied the Supreme Court’s decision while finalising the governorship candidates’ list, excluding parties it considered non-compliant with the membership-register provisions.

He also explained that the final lists for the presidential and National Assembly elections had been published on September 12, 2026, 13 days before the Supreme Court delivered its judgment.

The commission’s explanation distinguishes the earlier publication of federal election candidates from the later finalisation of governorship candidates’ lists after the court ruling.

With the October 24 deadline approaching, affected parties have been given an opportunity to formally notify INEC of alleged omissions within the statutory framework. Whether a particular candidate can be restored will depend on the applicable legal requirements and the circumstances of the dispute.

The omissions have also intensified scrutiny of INEC’s handling of candidate nominations ahead of the 2027 elections. Affected parties and candidates may pursue further legal options where they disagree with the commission’s decisions.

The deadline therefore represents an important stage in resolving disputes over the governorship candidate lists. INEC’s handling of complaints, the legal basis for its decisions and the clarity of its explanations will remain central to public confidence in the electoral process.