INEC Upholds 41 Governorship Petitions Amid Controversy Over Candidate Omissions

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has recently announced its decision regarding the petitions filed against the final list of governorship candidates for the upcoming 2027 general elections. Out of a total of 69 petitions submitted, the commission upheld 41 while rejecting 28, signaling a significant development in the electoral process. Mohammed Kudu Haruna, the chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee (IVEC), shared these findings in a statement released on Thursday night.

According to Haruna, the petitions encompassed complaints from 12 political parties across 26 states, addressing issues such as the omission of certain political parties from the candidate lists, wrongful inclusion of candidates whose names were not on the submitted membership registers, and allegations of multiple nominations. The commission undertook a thorough examination of these complaints in light of its records and applicable legal provisions.

In his remarks, Haruna emphasized that the commission found merit in several of the petitions, leading to the inclusion of affected candidates and their respective political parties. He elaborated, stating, “Following a review of the complaints, relevant records and applicable legal provisions, the Commission found merit in some representations and approved the inclusion of affected candidates and their political parties.” Conversely, complaints deemed without merit were rejected, and names that were incorrectly published were subsequently removed after verifying their absence from the official register.

Furthermore, the commission took decisive action by removing candidates whose nominations did not align with the established legal requirements. While INEC refrained from disclosing the names of specific candidates or states involved, the implications of these decisions are likely to resonate throughout the political landscape as parties prepare for the elections.