2027 Elections: INEC Approves 66 Petitions, Rejects 64, Removes Wrongly Listed Candidates
By Titus Eleweke
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has approved 66 petitions challenging the final lists of governorship and State Houses of Assembly candidates for the 2027 general election, while rejecting 64 others following a review of complaints submitted by political parties and affected individuals.
The Commission also announced the removal of candidates whose names were wrongfully included in the published lists, particularly those whose names were not contained in the membership registers submitted by their respective political parties.
INEC disclosed this in a press statement issued on Thursday, October 29, 2026, by Mohammed Kudu Haruna, Chairman of its Information and Voter Education Committee (IVEC).
The review followed the publication of the final lists of governorship and State Houses of Assembly candidates on October 10, 2026, and the Commission’s subsequent press statement of October 13, 2026.
According to the Commission, the complaints received bordered on the omission of certain political parties from the published lists, the wrongful inclusion of candidates whose names were not contained in the membership registers submitted by their parties, and cases of alleged multiple nominations.
INEC explained that it examined the complaints alongside relevant records and applicable legal provisions before arriving at its decisions.
It said some of the representations were found to have merit, leading to the approval of affected candidates and political parties for inclusion in the updated lists, while complaints that failed to meet the required criteria were rejected.
The Commission further disclosed that some candidates whose names had been wrongly published were removed after verification established that they were not listed in the membership registers submitted by their political parties.
It also approved the removal of candidates whose nominations were found to be inconsistent with applicable legal requirements.
INEC specifically noted that decisions affecting candidates for the State Houses of Assembly were based on complaints received and determined in accordance with the law and the Commission’s established criteria.
Giving a breakdown of the petitions received and determined, the Commission disclosed that a total of 69 petitions were submitted by 12 political parties across 26 states in respect of the governorship election.
Of the 69 petitions, 41 were successful, while 28 were rejected.
Similarly, INEC said it received 61 petitions from 11 political parties across 11 states concerning the State Houses of Assembly elections.
Out of the 61 petitions, 25 were successful, while 36 failed.
In all, the Commission received 130 petitions relating to the two categories of elections, with 66 succeeding and 64 being rejected.
INEC said the names of affected candidates, political parties and states would be reflected in the updated lists to be published on its official website.
The Commission reiterated its commitment to transparency and the credibility of the electoral process, assuring political parties, candidates and the general public that its decisions were guided by relevant legal provisions and established procedures.
