The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has begun reviewing complaints from political parties and candidates whose names were omitted from its final list of contestants for the 2027 general elections.
The development follows the publication of the list last week, which triggered protests, petitions and demands for corrections from affected candidates and their supporters across several states.
INEC confirmed that it had received formal complaints from some political parties, adding that its officials were processing the submissions for appropriate action.
The commission, however, did not disclose the number of petitions received or identify all the candidates whose complaints were under review.
Among those who have publicly expressed concerns over their exclusion are Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo, the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) governorship candidate in Kano State; Isa Ali Pantami, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in Gombe State; Ladi Adebutu of the PDP in Ogun State; and Danjuma La’ah, the NDC governorship candidate in Kaduna State.
INEC has given affected political parties until October 24, 2026, to formally notify it of alleged omissions, in accordance with Section 32(2) of the Electoral Act 2026.
The commission’s Chief Press Secretary and Media Adviser to the chairman, Adedayo Oketola, said the electoral body would handle the complaints in line with the law.
“Yes, the commission has received formal complaints from some political parties regarding the non-inclusion of certain candidates, and these submissions are currently being carefully reviewed,” Oketola said.
He explained that receiving petitions and legal notifications was a routine administrative process for an electoral body responsible for managing thousands of candidate nominations nationwide.
According to him, parties that believe their candidates were wrongly excluded have 14 days from the publication of the list to notify the commission formally.
Oketola added that INEC remained committed to legal compliance, procedural fairness and transparency.
However, a senior commission official cautioned that filing a petition would not automatically result in the inclusion of an omitted candidate’s name.
The official said each complaint would be considered on its merits and in accordance with the Electoral Act and a recent Supreme Court judgment.
The source maintained that candidates whose names were absent from the membership lists submitted by their parties within the legally prescribed period before their primaries could face difficulties securing inclusion on the final list.
Kwankwasiyya supporters protest Gwarzo’s exclusion in Kano
Meanwhile, hundreds of Kwankwasiyya Movement supporters on Wednesday stormed the INEC office in Kano State to protest the omission of Gwarzo’s name from the list of governorship candidates.
The protesters, led by the NDC deputy governorship candidate, Mustapha Kwankwaso, submitted a petition demanding Gwarzo’s reinstatement and an investigation into alleged irregularities in the nomination process.
They accused an INEC official of allegedly colluding with unauthorised individuals to facilitate the substitution of some candidates using documents bearing suspected forged signatures.
The protesters’ spokesman, Dr Habib Mohammed, said several letters containing suspected forged signatures had allegedly been submitted to the commission.
“We are also petitioning against a staff here, whom we believe colluded with some unauthorized people to hide a decision which led to substitution of some of our candidates,” Mohammed said.
The State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Abdu Zango, received the petition and assured the delegation that its grievances would be forwarded to INEC’s national headquarters for consideration.
He reaffirmed the commission’s commitment to neutrality in the electoral process.
NDC vows to fight omission of candidates’ names
The NDC’s national leader, Senator Seriake Dickson, has vowed that the party will continue to challenge the exclusion of some of its candidates.
In a statement, Dickson assured affected candidates and supporters that the party was taking steps to address the omissions.
He maintained that all affected candidates had registered with the party before the statutory 21-day deadline.
Dickson urged INEC to correct what he described as an apparent omission, expressing confidence that the commission would resolve the matter.
He also directed party members to continue consultations, town hall meetings, mobilisation and campaign preparations across states and constituencies ahead of the elections.
Ogun PDP aspirant gives INEC 48 hours
In Ogun State, PDP governorship aspirant Toba Olusegun Peter has given INEC 48 hours to explain why his name was omitted from the final list of candidates for the February 6, 2027 election.
Peter is demanding that the commission publish his name as the party’s duly nominated candidate or provide a satisfactory explanation for his exclusion. He has threatened to approach the court if the matter is not resolved.
In a letter dated October 14, 2026, his lawyer, Anderson Asemota, told the INEC chairman that his client had fulfilled the requirements for nomination and deserved clarification.
The lawyer said Peter obtained his expression-of-interest and nomination forms on May 12, 2026, and participated in the party’s governorship primary on May 27.
He further claimed that Peter’s name appeared as entry number 15783 on the PDP membership register submitted to INEC in accordance with Section 77 of the Electoral Act 2026.
Asemota acknowledged the Supreme Court’s judgment in INEC v. Zenith Labour Party, suit number SC/CV/495/2026, but argued that the ruling should be applied to the specific facts and records concerning his client.
He asked INEC to verify whether Peter’s name appeared on the membership register submitted by the PDP, whether the relevant statutory requirements had been met and whether any court order or other lawful basis justified the exclusion.
The lawyer demanded a written explanation of the commission’s findings within 48 hours of receiving the letter.
Meanwhile, Adebutu, whose name was also reportedly omitted from the list, has petitioned INEC for redress.
The PDP faction aligned with Adebutu said the situation was being handled by the party’s national leadership and expressed confidence that it would be resolved.
Afolabi Orekoya, head of public communications for the Ladi Adebutu Campaign Organisation, said the candidate had not violated the law and that campaign activities were continuing.
Disputes over candidates deepen divisions in Ebonyi
The publication of the list has also triggered disagreements within the Ebonyi State chapters of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and the PDP.
The factional ADC chairman, Jennifer Adibe, said candidates nominated by her faction were excluded from the list, adding that the affected candidates had approached the courts.
However, a source from the rival faction led by Silas Onu dismissed her claims, insisting that the candidates who emerged from its primaries were the legitimate nominees.
The source said the aggrieved candidates from Adibe’s faction had instituted multiple court cases challenging the recognition of the rival faction’s nominees.
In the PDP, confusion persists over the party’s candidate for the Ohaozara/Onicha/Ivo Federal Constituency.
Felix Igboke, a former Ebonyi commissioner for project monitoring who resigned from Governor Francis Nwifuru’s administration and joined the PDP, was reportedly given the party’s ticket, but his name was missing from INEC’s list.
A party source expressed confidence that the omission would be corrected following the commission’s invitation to affected parties to submit their complaints.
Leadership tussle rocks NDC in Anambra
The NDC’s Anambra State chapter is also facing an internal leadership dispute, with David Chukwudifu and former state lawmaker Ikem Uzoezie laying claim to the position of state chairman.
Chukwudifu described himself as the authentic chairman, alleging that Uzoezie’s group joined the party after its congresses had been concluded.
Uzoezie acknowledged the existence of problems involving names submitted to INEC but said the party’s national leadership was addressing the issues.
He said the party had written to the commission requesting corrections to the affected entries.
The dispute comes as the NDC prepares for the 2027 elections, with Anambra being the home state of its presidential candidate, Peter Obi.
INEC list triggers political anxiety in Oyo
In Oyo State, the publication of the final list has reportedly heightened tensions among political parties and aspirants ahead of the elections.
Within the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), the confirmation of its candidate has been accompanied by concerns over dissatisfaction among aspirants who lost during the primaries.
The APC has reportedly deployed reconciliation committees across the state’s three senatorial districts to engage aggrieved members and address potential divisions.
Smaller parties and emerging political coalitions are also working to reassure supporters that their candidates’ inclusion on the official list provides a legitimate opportunity to compete in the elections.
As INEC reviews the complaints, affected parties and candidates face the challenge of establishing that their nominations complied with the relevant legal requirements. The commission’s decisions and any subsequent court rulings could determine whether the disputed names are added to the final list ahead of the 2027 polls.
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