The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has upheld 66 out of 130 petitions filed by political parties over alleged omissions, wrongful nominations and multiple candidacies in the final lists for the 2027 governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections.
The commission rejected the remaining 64 petitions after reviewing the complaints, relevant records and applicable legal provisions.
INEC disclosed this in a statement issued on Thursday, October 29, 2026, and signed by Mohammed Kudu Haruna, Chairman of its Information and Voter Education Committee (IVEC).
The petitions followed the publication of the final lists of candidates for the governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections on October 10, 2026.
The complaints centred on the alleged exclusion of political parties and candidates, the nomination of individuals whose names were missing from their parties’ membership registers, and cases of multiple nominations.
INEC said its review established that some complaints had merit, prompting the commission to approve the inclusion of affected political parties and candidates in the final lists.
However, petitions that failed to meet the commission’s requirements and relevant legal provisions were dismissed.
The electoral body also confirmed that some candidates previously listed were removed after verification showed that their names were not contained in the membership registers submitted by their respective political parties.
Other candidates were removed because their nominations failed to satisfy applicable legal requirements.
Breakdown of INEC’s 130 Election Petitions
Providing details of the complaints, INEC said it received 69 petitions from 12 political parties across 26 states concerning the 2027 governorship elections.
Of these, 41 petitions were upheld, while 28 were rejected.
For the State Houses of Assembly elections, the commission received 61 petitions from 11 political parties across 11 states.
A total of 25 petitions were successful, while 36 were dismissed.
The overall figures show that INEC upheld 66 of the 130 petitions received across both categories of elections, representing slightly more than half of the complaints.
The commission said the names of affected candidates, political parties and states would be reflected in the updated final lists to be published on its official website.
INEC reaffirmed its commitment to transparency, fairness and credibility in the electoral process.
It also assured political parties, candidates and Nigerians that all complaints relating to the 2027 elections would be considered in accordance with the law and established electoral guidelines.
