Legal and political battles have erupted across Nigeria after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) published its final lists of candidates for the February 6, 2027 general elections.
The publication has shut out key governorship hopefuls from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), setting up heavyweight political contests while exposing multiple rival claims to tickets.
The fallout has also extended beyond governorship races, with court decisions and pending litigation continuing to reshape the candidate field across the country.
The exclusions were unevenly distributed across major political parties following the implementation of a landmark Supreme Court judgment in INEC v. Zenith Labour Party, which reinstated key membership-register requirements under the Electoral Act 2026.
High-profile casualties included Ogun PDP candidate Ladi Adebutu and Gombe PDP flagbearer Isa Pantami, alongside missing NDC candidates in Kano and Nasarawa.
Meanwhile, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the African Democratic Congress (ADC) emerged largely unscathed, though the APC’s House of Representatives candidate for Gombe’s Billiri/Balanga constituency, Ali Isa JC, saw his primary nullified by a Federal High Court shortly after publication.
In Ogun State, Ladi Adebutu strongly rejected his non-listing, insisting he completed all digital registration and documentation within statutory timeframes alongside INEC observers.
However, the APC Campaign Council dismissed his claims as a “childish blame game,” pointing to factional crises within the PDP and urging compliance with internal party rules.
Similarly, in Gombe, former Minister Isa Pantami and his supporters described his exclusion as a temporary setback, confirming that legal and administrative teams are engaging electoral authorities to resolve the omission.
The NDC is facing compounding crises in Kano, Nasarawa, and Plateau states. While Kano NDC leadership attributed candidate Aminu Abdulsalam Gwarzo’s absence to an administrative error, Plateau State presents a full-blown nomination war where Jonathan Akuns and Alfred Dapal both claim the governorship ticket amidst conflicting primary exercises and court orders.
Meanwhile, national PDP leadership through Publicity Secretary Jungudo Mohammed appealed for calm across all affected chapters, confirming ongoing formal engagements with INEC to secure administrative resolution under Section 32(2) of the Electoral Act.
In Kwara State, the publication of final lists has set the stage for major electoral showdowns. Beyond the governorship race featuring APC’s Yakubu Salihu Danladi and PDP’s Suleiman Bolakale Kawu, Kwara Central Senatorial District will host a high-stakes contest between outgoing Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq (APC) and incumbent Senator Saliu Mustapha (PDP).
Pre-election litigation also reached the courts in Benue and Ebonyi states, where judicial rulings on locus standi and candidate eligibility continue to influence the final line-up.
As statutory deadlines draw near, affected political parties and candidates face a tight window to secure administrative corrections from INEC or favorable judicial orders.
Following the APC’s recent formal petition demanding strict enforcement of membership register compliance, the legal battles surrounding candidate nominations highlight that INEC’s “final list” may only mark the beginning of pre-election litigation ahead of 2027.
