2027: Why Some Guber Candidates Were Omitted From Final List – INEC Clarifies
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has explained that some candidates were excluded from the final list for the 2027 governorship election because their political parties failed to comply with the statutory requirement to submit membership registers before conducting party primaries.
The commission said the decision followed a Supreme Court judgment affirming the constitutionality of Section 77(5)–(7) of the Electoral Act, 2026, which makes the submission of membership registers mandatory for political parties seeking to sponsor candidates in elections.
In a press statement issued on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, INEC said the Supreme Court delivered the judgment on September 24, 2026, in INEC v. Zenith Labour Party, Appeal No. SC/CV/495/2026.
According to the commission, the judgment overturned the effect of an earlier Court of Appeal decision that had nullified the provisions requiring political parties to submit their membership registers as a condition for conducting valid party primaries.
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INEC stated that the apex court upheld the constitutionality of the relevant provisions of the Electoral Act, including Item 2 of its timetable and schedule of activities, which required political parties to submit their membership registers between April 21 and May 10, 2026.
The commission added that the Supreme Court ruled that political parties that failed to comply with the requirements of Section 77(5)–(7) were ineligible to sponsor candidates for the election.
INEC said it applied the Supreme Court’s decision when finalising the list of governorship candidates, in compliance with Section 287(1) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, which requires authorities to give effect to decisions of superior courts.
The commission, however, clarified that the final lists of presidential and National Assembly candidates had already been published on September 12, 2026, 13 days before the Supreme Court delivered its judgment.
It explained that under Section 32(2) of the Electoral Act, 2026, political parties that believe their candidates were wrongly omitted from the list have 14 days from the date of publication to notify the commission.
INEC fixed October 24, 2026, as the deadline for the submission of such notifications.
The commission reaffirmed its commitment to transparency, the rule of law and the credibility of the electoral process.
The statement was signed by Mohammed Kudu Haruna, National Commissioner and Chairman of INEC’s Information and Voter Education Committee.
By PRNigeria
