WorldStage— The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has rejected 28 governorship petitions following a rigorous, comprehensive review of complaints arising from the final candidate lists for the upcoming 2027 general elections.
According to an official statement released by the commission on Friday, October 30, 2026, the electoral umpire evaluated a total of 69 petitions submitted by various political parties and candidates contesting omissions and irregularities.
While INEC upheld and approved 41 of these governorship petitions, it explicitly dismissed 28 for failing to meet regulatory benchmarks.
Beyond the governorship race, the commission also processed legislative complaints, approving 25 petitions and rejecting 36 others related to the State Houses of Assembly lists.
INEC explained that the petitions primarily centered on the omission of entire political parties and the allegedly wrongful inclusion of candidates whose names did not appear in their parties’ official membership registers.
The extensive review followed a strict October 24, 2026 deadline given to political parties to challenge the exclusion of their candidates.
National Commissioner and Chairman of INEC’s Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Kudu Haruna, previously clarified that many of the initial omissions resulted from political parties failing to comply with mandatory statutory provisions.
Specifically, INEC’s decisions align with a landmark September 24 Supreme Court judgment, which affirmed that the relevant candidate submission provisions of the Electoral Act 2026 are fully constitutional and mandatory.
Under these regulations, parties that fail to provide valid membership registers are legally ineligible to sponsor candidates.
With the comprehensive review concluded, INEC is expected to publish an updated, definitive list of validly nominated governorship and state assembly candidates.
Observers note that the high volume of rejected petitions serves as a stern warning to political structures regarding internal democracy and administrative compliance ahead of the 2027 polls.
Affected political parties now face limited options as the electoral timeline advances toward active campaigning.
