The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is set to publish the names of candidates nominated by political parties for the 2027 governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections.
The commission is expected to release the candidate lists on Saturday, August 29, 2026, as preparations intensify for the general elections scheduled for February 6, 2027.
The publication will give political parties, candidates and voters an opportunity to review the names and other details submitted to INEC as the electoral process advances.
Governorship elections will be held in 28 states in 2027, while elections into the State Houses of Assembly will take place across all 36 states.
The states scheduled to elect governors are Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Delta, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Enugu, Ebonyi, Abia, Kwara, Benue, Plateau, Niger, Nasarawa, Borno, Yobe, Adamawa, Taraba, Bauchi, Gombe, Jigawa, Kano, Kaduna, Katsina, Zamfara, Kebbi and Sokoto.
Governorship elections will not be conducted in Ondo, Osun, Ekiti, Edo, Bayelsa, Anambra, Imo and Kogi, as those states held their elections at different times under Nigeria’s staggered electoral calendar.
The approaching deadline is expected to increase pressure on political parties to complete their nomination processes and resolve any outstanding issues involving their candidates.
Nigeria currently has 22 registered political parties, all of which are eligible to nominate candidates for the various governorship and legislative contests.
New governors will be elected in states where the tenure of the incumbent governor expires in 2027. These include Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Yobe, Borno, Adamawa, Bauchi, Gombe, Kwara and Nasarawa.
The publication of the lists will give voters a clearer picture of the individuals seeking to represent the various political parties in the governorship and State Assembly elections.
The August 29 publication comes after INEC’s August 22 deadline for candidates seeking to withdraw from the 2027 elections.
Under Section 31 of the Electoral Act 2026, a candidate who wishes to withdraw must submit a written notice, signed by the candidate and accompanied by an affidavit, directly to the political party that nominated them.
The provision establishes a formal process for candidates who decide to step down after receiving their parties’ nominations.
The August 29 deadline will also cover the submission of final candidate lists for political parties contesting the presidential and National Assembly elections.
However, INEC has scheduled September 12, 2026, for the publication of the final list of candidates for the presidential, Senate and House of Representatives elections.
With these deadlines approaching, political parties and candidates are entering a crucial stage of preparations for Nigeria’s 2027 elections.
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