The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has opened a narrow window for parties whose governorship candidates were left off the official list for the 2027 elections, according to a report by The Punch on Wednesday, October 14, 2026. Affected parties have until October 24 to point out any perceived errors.
Among the notable names missing from the list are Peoples Democratic Party aspirants Oladipupo Adebutu (Ogun) and Isa Ali Pantami (Gombe), along with other regional contenders.
INEC said the move is in line with Section 32(2) of the Electoral Act. It tied the exclusions to the Supreme Court’s September 24 judgment in INEC v. Zenith Labour Party, which upheld the constitutional basis of Sections 77(5) to (7) on mandatory party membership registers. The commission added that any party that failed to submit its register within the April deadline loses the right to field candidates.
Citing its duty to obey court rulings under Section 287(1) of the Constitution, INEC stated: “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.”
With time running out, affected parties are now weighing legal action or working to close their compliance gaps before the window shuts.
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