Nigeria's INEC to display 2027 governorship, assembly candidates list Saturday

Nigeria's Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is set to display the list of candidates nominated by political parties for the February 6, 2027, governorship and state Houses of Assembly elections this Saturday, August 29. This move marks a significant step in the electoral body's preparations for the upcoming general election.

The governorship elections will be held in 28 states across the federation. Concurrently, elections for the state Houses of Assembly are scheduled to take place in all 36 states. However, governorship polls will not be conducted in Ondo, Osun, Ekiti, Edo, Bayelsa, Anambra, Imo, and Kogi states, as their gubernatorial elections occurred at different times due to the staggered electoral cycle.

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The publication of the candidate lists was part of its preparations for the 2027 general election and would enable political parties, candidates and the public to verify the information submitted to the commission.

INEC has stated that the publication of these candidate lists is a crucial part of its preparation process for the 2027 general election. It provides an opportunity for political parties, candidates, and the general public to scrutinize and verify the information submitted to the commission. Political parties are expected to field new candidates in several states, including Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Yobe, Borno, Adamawa, Bauchi, Gombe, Kwara, and Nasarawa, where incumbent governors' terms will expire in 2027.

Furthermore, INEC is anticipating the submission of final candidate lists for the presidential and National Assembly elections by the same August 29 deadline. This deadline follows the August 22 cutoff for candidates wishing to withdraw from the 2027 elections, a process governed by Section 31 of the Electoral Act 2026, requiring a written notice signed by the candidate and accompanied by an affidavit submitted personally to the nominating political party. The commission is scheduled to publish the final list of presidential and National Assembly candidates, including those for the Senate and House of Representatives, on September 12.

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Under Section 31 of the Electoral Act 2026, a candidate seeking to withdraw from an election is required to submit a written notice, signed by the candidate and accompanied by an affidavit, personally to the political party that nominated the candidate.