2027 Nigeria Elections: INEC Releases Candidate List, Excludes Jonathan, Nwoko, Goje

Nigeria's Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has concluded months of political suspense by releasing the final list of candidates for the 2027 general elections. The publication on Saturday revealed the absence of several high-profile politicians, including former President Goodluck Jonathan, who was reportedly presented as a presidential candidate by a faction of the Peoples Democratic Party.

Also notably missing from the list are Senator Ned Nwoko, representing Delta North Senatorial District; former Ogun State governor Gbenga Daniel; former Gombe State governor Danjuma Goje; and Senator Garba Maidoki, representing Kebbi South. This development comes two months after Senate President Godswill Akpabio assured lawmakers who lost their return tickets in the All Progressives Congress (APC) primaries that their grievances were being addressed.

However, findings indicate that while the APC leadership reinstated six serving senators after reviewing petitions, many influential politicians who hoped for a reprieve remained excluded from the final lists submitted to INEC. Nwoko's name was absent from the list displayed at the INEC office in Asaba, confirming his earlier defeat in the APC primary election, with former Delta State governor Ifeanyi Okowa emerging as the senatorial candidate. Similarly, in Gombe State, political heavyweight Goje lost the APC ticket to retired Deputy Commissioner of Police Mohammed Ahmed.

On the opposition side, former Governor Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo secured the PDP ticket for Gombe North Senatorial District, while Senator Anthony Siyako emerged as the PDP candidate for Gombe South. In Bauchi State, two federal lawmakers are also absent from INEC's final list: Senator Shehu Buba (Bauchi South) and Representative Mansur Soro (Darazo/Ganjuwa Federal Constituency). Buba, an APC member, will not seek re-election after defecting to the Peoples Redemption Party, where he secured the governorship ticket. Soro had previously announced he would not contest either the Bauchi Central Senatorial seat or seek another term in the House of Representatives.

Last month, it was exclusively reported that the APC National Working Committee overturned the victories of several senatorial candidates and restored six serving senators following recommendations from the party's Primary Election Appeal Committee. This review affected nine states, including Kogi, where the committee recommended the cancellation of the primary election for the Kogi West Senatorial District.