The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) will on Saturday, August 29, display the list of candidates nominated by political parties for the February 6, 2027, governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections.
The publication is part of the commission’s preparations for the 2027 general elections and is expected to enable political parties, candidates and members of the public to verify the information submitted to the electoral body.
The governorship election will be conducted in 28 states, while elections into the State Houses of Assembly will be held in all 36 states of the federation.
According to INEC’s electoral timetable, the governorship elections will take place in Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Delta, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Enugu, Ebonyi, Abia, Kwara, Benue, Plateau, Niger and Nasarawa states.
Other states scheduled to conduct governorship elections are Borno, Yobe, Adamawa, Taraba, Bauchi, Gombe, Jigawa, Kano, Kaduna, Katsina, Zamfara, Kebbi and Sokoto.
However, governorship elections will not be conducted in Ondo, Osun, Ekiti, Edo, Bayelsa, Anambra, Imo and Kogi states during the 2027 general elections.
The affected states have different electoral timelines because their governorship elections were conducted at different periods under Nigeria’s staggered electoral cycle.
22 Political Parties Expected to Participate
The 22 registered political parties are expected to field candidates for the various elective positions.
Fresh governorship contests will take place in Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Yobe, Borno, Adamawa, Bauchi, Gombe, Kwara and Nasarawa, where the constitutionally prescribed tenure of the incumbent governors will expire in 2027.
The publication of the candidate lists will provide greater clarity on the individuals who will contest the various governorship and State House of Assembly seats and give voters an opportunity to scrutinise the information submitted by political parties.
INEC has also scheduled the submission of final lists of candidates for the presidential and National Assembly elections for Saturday, August 29.
The deadline comes after the August 22 deadline for candidates who wished to withdraw from the 2027 elections.
Electoral Act Provides Withdrawal Procedure
The withdrawal process is governed by Section 31 of the Electoral Act 2026.
Under the provision, a candidate who wishes to withdraw from an election is required to submit a written notice to the political party that nominated them.
The notice must be signed by the candidate and accompanied by an affidavit, with the provision establishing a formal procedure for candidates seeking to withdraw after securing their party’s nomination.
Following the conclusion of the relevant nomination, withdrawal and substitution processes, INEC is expected to publish the final list of presidential and National Assembly candidates on Saturday, September 12.
The list will contain the names of candidates contesting the presidential election as well as those seeking election to the Senate and House of Representatives.
Parties Race to Meet INEC Deadlines
With the August 29 deadline approaching, political parties are expected to conclude outstanding nomination, withdrawal and substitution processes before the submission of their final candidate lists to INEC.
The commission’s publication of the lists is a key stage in preparations for the 2027 general elections, as it will formally identify the candidates nominated to contest the various positions.
The February 6, 2027, governorship and State House of Assembly elections will form part of the broader electoral programme for the 2027 general elections.
