- INEC released the final list of candidates for the 2027 general elections on Saturday, leaving out several high-profile politicians
- Ned Nwoko, former governors Gbenga Daniel and Danjuma Goje, and others were missing from the list despite appeals processes
- The APC had reinstated six serving senators after petition reviews, but many other influential figures still did not make the cut
Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over nine years of experience covering politics, elections, and governance in Nigeria and Africa.
FCT, Abuja – The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) published its final list of candidates for the 2027 elections on Saturday, August 1, and the names of several prominent Nigerian politicians were nowhere to be found.
As reported by The Punch on Sunday, August 2, former President Goodluck Jonathan was among the notable names missing from the list, despite being presented to INEC as the presidential candidate of the Tanimu Turaki-led faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Source: Twitter
Nwoko out as Okowa takes Delta ticket
At the INEC office in Asaba, Nwoko’s name did not appear on the All Progressives Congress (APC) senatorial list for Delta North. Former Delta state governor Ifeanyi Okowa emerged instead as the APC’s candidate for that district, confirming Nwoko’s earlier loss at the party’s primary election.
In Gombe state, Goje suffered a similar fate, losing the APC ticket to retired Deputy Commissioner of Police Mohammed Ahmed. On the other side of the political divide, former Governor Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo picked up the PDP ticket for Gombe North Senatorial District, while Senator Anthony Siyako secured the PDP candidacy for Gombe South.
Bauchi lawmakers also left out
Two sitting federal lawmakers from Bauchi state also did not feature on INEC’s final list. Senator Shehu Buba, who represented Bauchi South on the APC platform, defected to the Peoples Redemption Party and obtained its governorship ticket, meaning he will not pursue a return to the Senate.
Separately, House of Representatives member Mansur Soro, who represents Darazo/Ganjuwa Federal Constituency, had previously announced he would not contest any seat in 2027.
The exclusions come roughly two months after Senate President Godswill Akpabio assured lawmakers who lost their primary tickets that the APC leadership was working to resolve their complaints. The party’s National Working Committee eventually overturned results in nine states (Kogi, Benue, Taraba, Ondo, Abia, Niger, Kwara, Kaduna and Ebonyi) and reinstated six sitting senators: Sunday Karimi, Emmanuel Udende, Titus Zam, Shuaibu Isa Lau, Adeniyi Adegbonmire and Olajide Ipinsagba.
Source: Twitter
Prince Paul Ikonne also replaced Edinburgh Uchenna Erondu as the APC candidate for Abia South.
One of the more notable reversals saw former Benue state governor Gabriel Suswam, who had initially won the primary, lose the ticket to incumbent senator Emmanuel Udende following the appeal committee’s recommendation.
Despite the review, many politicians who had hoped to benefit from the process did not make it onto the final list forwarded to INEC.
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Kenneth Okonkwo warns Jonathan
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Kenneth Okonkwo, a former chieftain of the Labour Party (LP), advised the PDP to allow Jonathan to enjoy his ‘retirement from public office’ in peace, rather than luring him into the 2027 race.
Okonkwo explained that rather than luring Jonathan into the 2027 election race, the cheerleaders should allow the former Nigerian leader to enjoy his credibility.
The former LP chieftain asked Jonathan to maintain his status as an “international statesman.”
Source: Legit.ng