By Nkechi Eze
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has approved 66 petitions and rejected 64 others arising from complaints over the final lists of governorship and State Houses of Assembly candidates for the 2027 general election.
The Chairman of INEC’s Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Haruna, disclosed this in a statement on the outcome of the commission’s review of complaints received following the publication of the final lists on October 10, 2026.
According to the statement, the complaints bordered on the omission of some political parties, the wrongful inclusion of candidates whose names were absent from the membership registers submitted by their parties, and allegations of multiple nominations.
Haruna said the commission reviewed the complaints alongside relevant records and applicable legal provisions, approving those found to have merit while rejecting those deemed unfounded.
He added that INEC also approved the removal of some candidates whose names were wrongfully published in the final lists after verification showed that they were not included in their parties’ membership registers.
The commission further approved the removal of candidates whose nominations failed to meet applicable legal requirements, particularly in cases involving State Houses of Assembly candidates sponsored by political parties.
Giving a breakdown of the petitions, Haruna said INEC received 69 petitions from 12 political parties across 26 states concerning the governorship election. Of the petitions, 41 were successful, while 28 were rejected.
For the State Houses of Assembly elections, the commission received 61 petitions from 11 political parties across 11 states. Twenty-five petitions succeeded, while 36 were unsuccessful.
The outcome brings the total number of petitions received across both categories to 130, with 66 approved and 64 rejected.
INEC said the affected candidates, political parties and states would be reflected in an updated list to be published on its website.
The commission reaffirmed its commitment to transparency and the credibility of the electoral process.
