Parties Dispute Candidate Exclusions from Nigeria's Official 2027 Election List

Nigeria's Independent National Electoral Commission has faced backlash after releasing its final roster of approved contestants for the 2027 elections. Both the Peoples Democratic Party and the NDC criticised the omission of prominent nominees, including Gwarzo, Pantami, and Adebutu, according to AllAfrica. The PDP expressed serious misgivings regarding the absence of several of its contenders from the published document.^1,2

The electoral body clarified its rationale for the disqualifications, according to Premium Times. The commission stated that the exclusions of candidates such as Pantami and Adebutu were due to political parties failing to satisfy membership register stipulations outlined in Section 77(5) to (7) of the Electoral Act, 2026, rendering the organisations ineligible to sponsor contenders.⁵

The roster has sparked additional disputes across several regions. An African Democratic Congress gubernatorial candidate in Jigawa objected after finding an unapproved running mate listed in place of his submitted nominee, AllAfrica reported. Separately, Premium Times noted calls by political figures urging the commission to reinstate missing NDC candidates across Kano, Kaduna, and Cross River states.^4,7