The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has explained why some candidates were excluded from the final list for the 2027 Governorship Election, citing a recent Supreme Court ruling on the submission of political parties’ membership registers.
The Commission said political parties that failed to submit their membership registers within the stipulated period were ineligible to sponsor candidates for the election.
INEC disclosed this in a press statement issued on Tuesday night, October 13, and signed by Mohammed Kudu Haruna, National Commissioner and Chairman of its Information and Voter Education Committee.
According to the Commission, the decision followed the Supreme Court judgment in INEC v. Zenith Labour Party, Appeal No. SC/CV/495/2026, delivered on September 24, 2026.
The ruling overturned an earlier Court of Appeal judgment that had nullified provisions of Section 77(5)–(7) of the Electoral Act, 2026, which require political parties to submit their membership registers before conducting valid party primaries.
INEC said the Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of the provisions and ruled that compliance was mandatory for all political parties.
The Court also upheld the Commission’s timetable requiring political parties to submit their membership registers between April 21 and May 10, 2026.
Why Some Candidates Were Excluded
INEC explained that the Supreme Court further ruled that political parties that failed to comply with the membership register requirements were not eligible to sponsor candidates for the election.
The Commission said it applied the judgment while finalising the list of candidates for the 2027 Governorship Election, in line with Section 287(1) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended.
As a result, candidates belonging to parties that failed to meet the requirements were left off the final list.
The Commission also clarified that the final lists of Presidential and National Assembly candidates had already been published on September 12, 2026, before the Supreme Court delivered its judgment on September 24.
INEC Gives October 24 Deadline
Despite the exclusions, INEC said political parties that believe their candidates were wrongly omitted have an opportunity to notify the Commission.
It cited Section 32(2) of the Electoral Act, 2026, which gives affected political parties 14 days from the date of publication of the relevant list to inform the Commission of their concerns.
According to INEC, the deadline for such notifications is October 24, 2026.
The Commission urged the public to note the legal basis for its decision, assuring Nigerians of its commitment to transparency, the rule of law and the credibility of the electoral process.
INDEPENDENT NATIONAL ELECTORAL COMMISSION PRESS STATEMENT CLARIFICATION ON THE OMISSION OF SOME CANDIDATES FROM THE FINAL LIST FOR THE 2027 GOVERNORSHIP ELECTION The general public is aware of the recent decision of the Supreme Court in INEC v. Zenith Labour Party, Appeal No. SC/CV/495/2026 delivered on 24th September, 2026. The decision arose from INEC’s appeal against the judgement of the Court of Appeal, which nullified the provisions of Section 77(5)-(7) of the Electoral Act, 2026 requiring the submission of membership registers as a prerequisite for the conduct of valid party primaries. However, the Supreme Court, in the aforementioned judgement, held that the provisions of Section 77(5)-(7) of the Electoral Act, 2026 are constitutional and mandatory for all political parties. In particular, the Court upheld the constitutionality of Item No. 2 of INEC’s Timetable and Schedule of Activities, which mandated political parties to submit their membership registers between 21st April and 10th May, 2026. Furthermore, the Court held that failure to comply with the provisions of Section 77 (5)-(7), renders the defaulting political parties ineligible to sponsor any candidate for the election. In accordance with Section 287(1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), the Commission, while finalizing the list of candidates for the Governorship election applied the above decision of the Supreme Court and excluded political parties that failed to comply with Section 77(5)-(7) of the Electoral Act, 2026, in relation to fielding of candidates. Meanwhile, the final list of Presidential and National Assembly candidates had already been published on 12th September, 2026, thirteen days before the Supreme Court delivered its judgement. Under Section 32(2) of the Electoral Act, 2026, political parties that believe their candidates were wrongly left off the list have 14 days from the date of publication to notify the Commission. The deadline is 24th October, 2026. The Commission assures the public of its commitment to transparency, the rule of law and the credibility of the electoral process. Mohammed Kudu Haruna National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee 13th October, 2026
— INEC Nigeria (@inecnigeria) October 13, 2026
The clarification comes as political parties prepare for the 2027 elections, with compliance with electoral laws and INEC’s timetable remaining key requirements for Parties seeking to field candidates.