Former Deputy Senate President Ovie Omo-Agege and Dr. Iyabo Obasanjo are among the candidates who made the updated list of contestants for next year’s elections published yesterday by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Omo-Agege is seeking a return to the Red Chamber of the National Assembly from Delta Central on the platform of the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC) while Dr.Obasanjo is flying the flag of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from Ogun Central.
Also listed is the name of former Minister of Communication and Digital Economy Ibrahim Ali Isa Pantami who is the PDP governorship candidate in Gombe State.
There had been fears about their chances of making the INEC list on account of the circumstances surrounding their switching of camps on the eve of their nomination.
They were all members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) but left after failing in their bids for the party’s tickets.
INEC updated list of candidates for the National (Presidential and National Assembly) and state (Governorship and State Assembly) elections issued yesterday.
It however still excluded the names of the NDC governorship candidate in Kano state Abdulsalam Gwarzo and the PDP governorship candidate in Ogun State Ladi Adebutu.
The commission had said that the final clearance for Gwarzo would depend on the outcome of a subsisting court case.
The space for the Accord Party presidential candidate was left blank on the list despite the order of a Federal High Court in Abuja recognising Olawepo Hashim as the party’s flag bearer.
Mohammed Sani Abbas was listed as the NDC governorship candidate in Kaduna State as against Danjuma La’ah which appeared in the list published on October 10 2026.
The updated list contains 20 new names of governorship candidates with one additional name in each of Jigawa Katsina Kebbi Kwara Niger Oyo Taraba and Zamfara States.
Kaduna Cross River and Nasarawa have two new names each while Gombe and Kano states have three new names included.
The number of parties contesting the election in Abia is down by one from 15 to 14.
The update shows that the APC and the ADC are presenting candidates in the 28 states where governorship elections will take place while the PDP and NDC are presenting candidates in 26 states.
The PDP has no candidates in Kebbi and Ogun states while the NDC has no candidates in Abia and Ogun. Ndubuisi Ogah who was listed on October 10 as the NDC governorship candidate in Abia was missing on the updated list.
The names of NDC candidates added to the list include John Odey Upan (Cross River) Shammah Danladi Dodo (Nasarawa) and Muktar Farouk Alhaji (Kebbi).
The commission had promised to publish an updated final list of candidates on its website after a review of complaints from candidates and political parties.
The Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee Mohammed Haruna confirmed that some of the petitions received were successful while others failed.
He said: ‘Further to its Press Statement of 13th October 2026 the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) wishes to inform political parties candidates and the general public of the outcome of its consideration of complaints received following the publication of the final lists of Governorship and State Houses of Assembly candidates on 10th October 2026.
‘The complaints concerned the omission of certain political parties the wrongful inclusion of candidates of political parties whose names were not contained in the membership registers submitted by their political parties and instances of alleged multiple nominations.
‘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 while complaints found to be without merit were declined.
‘In addition some names that were wrongfully published in the final list were removed after verifying that their names were not on the register.
‘The Commission also approved the removal of candidates whose nominations were found to be inconsistent with the applicable legal requirements. In particular the decisions affecting State Houses of Assembly candidates sponsored by political parties were informed by specific complaints received and determined in accordance with the law and the Commission’s established criteria.
‘In summary a total of 69 petitions were received from 12 political parties across 26 states for the governorship election. Forty-one of the petitions succeeded while 28 failed. Similarly for the State Houses of Assembly 61 petitions were received from 11 political parties across 11 states. Twenty-five succeeded while 36 failed.’
INEC Chairman: No plan to shift 2027 elections
Chairman of INEC Professor Joash Amupitan said for the umpteenth time yesterday that the commission has no plan to reschedule the 2027 elections.
Some opposition parties had alleged that the commission was under pressure to shift the polls.
But speaking during the commission’s interactive meeting with staff members in the six states of the South-South geopolitical zone and an assessment of their readiness for the 2027 general elections Amupitan declared that INEC remained faithful to the January and February 2027 dates picked for the presidential governorship and legislative elections.
He said there was no turning back now with preparations in top gear.
‘Our statutory timeline is fixed. We will not change anything. The election must hold as scheduled’ he said.
He pledged that the commission would conduct elections that the generality of Nigerians would be proud of.
‘We will conduct elections that will move the nation forward and not an election that will bring it down’ he said.
He also spoke on the fears generated by the inclusion of AI generated names in the voter register.
He said there was nothing to worry about the issue and declared: ‘It is the people of Nigeria that will decide the outcome of the elections and not AI or any algorithms.’
He asked voters to feel confident and come out on elections days to exercise their rights.
His words: ‘We want every part of Nigeria to be calm during the elections so that people can come out to vote. We will not tell them to take their PVCs and then will not guarantee their safety.’