The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has approved 41 out of 69 petitions challenging the final list of governorship candidates for the 2027 general election, while rejecting the remaining 28.
Among the notable cases, former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Ali Pantami, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in Gombe State, was cleared following the review.
However, the petition submitted by Ladi Adebutu, the PDP governorship candidate in Ogun State, was unsuccessful, leaving his exclusion from the commission’s candidate list unresolved.
Other unofficial reports identified Abdulsalam Gwarzo, the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) governorship candidate in Kano State, as one of those cleared.
The commission also approved 25 out of 61 petitions relating to candidates for the State Houses of Assembly elections, dismissing 36 others.
The decisions followed a review of complaints submitted by political parties and candidates after INEC published the final lists of governorship and State Houses of Assembly candidates on October 10, 2026.
In a statement issued on Thursday, October 29, and made public on Friday, October 30, the Chairman of INEC’s Information and Voter Education Committee (IVEC), Mohammed Kudu Haruna, said the commission received 69 governorship-related petitions from 12 political parties across 26 states.
For the State Houses of Assembly elections, 61 petitions were received from 11 political parties across 11 states.
The development has attracted attention because some prominent politicians whose names were missing from the initial candidate lists have been affected by the commission’s review.
INEC explained that the complaints arose from three major issues: the omission of certain political parties from the published lists, the inclusion of candidates whose names were not contained in the membership registers submitted by their political parties, and allegations of multiple nominations.
The commission said it examined the complaints alongside relevant records and applicable legal provisions before reaching its decisions.
According to Haruna, petitions found to have merit resulted in the approval of affected candidates and political parties, while those considered lacking merit were rejected.
INEC also confirmed that it removed some candidates whose names had been wrongly published after verifying that they were absent from their parties’ membership registers.
Additionally, candidates whose nominations were found to be inconsistent with applicable legal requirements were removed.
The commission said decisions concerning State Houses of Assembly candidates were based on specific complaints received and determined in accordance with the law and its established criteria.
Supreme Court judgment provides legal background
The review also comes against the background of a September 24, 2026, Supreme Court judgment concerning the submission of political parties’ membership registers to INEC.
The commission had previously cited the judgment in explaining its position on the statutory requirement under Section 77(5)–(7) of the Electoral Act, 2026.
The provisions make the submission of party membership registers an important requirement in the nomination process, particularly in determining whether candidates were validly sponsored by their political parties.
INEC’s position is that candidates whose names were not contained in the relevant membership registers could not be retained on the final lists where the applicable legal requirements had not been satisfied.
66 petitions approved across both election categories
In its breakdown, the commission disclosed that a combined 130 petitions were received concerning governorship and State Houses of Assembly candidates.
Of these, 66 succeeded, while 64 were unsuccessful.
The figures are broken down as follows:
▪︎Governorship elections: 69 petitions received; 41 successful and 28 unsuccessful.
▪︎State Houses of Assembly elections: 61 petitions received; 25 successful and 36 unsuccessful.
INEC said the names of affected candidates, political parties and states would be reflected in the updated candidate lists to be published on its official website.
The commission further assured political parties, candidates and Nigerians that it remained committed to transparency and the credibility of the electoral process.
The latest review represents another important stage in preparations for the 2027 general election, as political parties and candidates seek to resolve nomination disputes and establish their eligibility to participate in the forthcoming polls.