By Ogungbayi Adeyemi S. | adeyemi@ddnewsonline.com
Editor, DDNews |
Abuja, Nigeria – September 14, 2026
DDNewsOnline
The publication of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) final list of candidates for the 2027 general elections has triggered fresh disputes across the political landscape.
INEC has officially released the final candidate list, confirming 18 presidential candidates and 4,408 National Assembly candidates.
The publication has immediately ignited a wave of legal battles over candidates who were left off the ballot.
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The presidential candidate of the Accord Party, Dr Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, raised an alarm after finding his name omitted from the final presidential roster.
In response, Olawepo-Hashim insisted that no administrative action by INEC could legally extinguish his candidacy for the 2027 election, paving the way for a major legal battle against the Commission.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presented former President Goodluck Jonathan as its candidate. However, INEC completely left Jonathan off the cleared list. Instead, the electoral commission recognised and cleared Sandy Ojang Onor, who was submitted by a rival faction within the PDP, effectively shutting the door on Jonathan’s camp short of a court intervention.
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INEC has firmly denied all accusations of rigging, bias or wrongful substitution regarding the 2027 candidate list.
In an official statement issued by Commission spokespersons Mohammed Kudu Haruna and Adedayo Oketola, the Commission declared that it operated strictly within the structural timeline and the Electoral Act 2026.
Muhammad Kudu Haruna stated that “any primary election conducted after the May 30 statutory deadline is invalid and will not be recognised by the Commission.”
The Commission maintains that it operates strictly within the ambit of the Electoral Act 2026. Haruna reaffirmed that INEC does not possess the legal right of finality or candidate selection over political parties.
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The disputes surrounding INEC’s final candidate list are expected to continue as affected candidates and political parties seek clarification and legal redress.
The development has further heightened attention on the Commission’s preparations for the 2027 general elections, with stakeholders calling for transparency and fairness in the candidate-listing process.
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Komolafe Barakah
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