Several opposition political parties in Nigeria, including the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), African Democratic Congress (ADC), Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Labour Party (LP), Social Democratic Party (SDP) and Action Democratic Party (ADP), have moved to address the omission of some of their candidates from the list published by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The affected parties were given October 24 by INEC to correct the omissions and ensure that their candidates’ names were properly addressed.
The PDP National Organising Secretary, Captain Umar Bature, a retired officer, confirmed that the party had met the deadline and completed the necessary corrections within the stipulated period.
Some of the affected PDP candidates include governorship hopefuls Oladipupo Adebutu of Ogun State and Professor Isa Pantami of Gombe State, alongside seven House of Assembly candidates whose names were missing from the commission’s published list.
Speaking with Vanguard, Bature confirmed that the party had complied with the electoral commission’s directive before the deadline expired.
Similarly, the national leadership of the Nigeria Democratic Congress confirmed that it had met INEC’s deadline for correcting the names of its omitted candidates.
The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Osa Director, affirmed that the necessary steps had been taken to address the issue.
The Action Democratic Party also confirmed its compliance. Its National Chairman, Engineer Yabagi Yusuf Sani, said the party had met the deadline set by the electoral commission.
Meanwhile, the Labour Party said it remained in good standing with INEC regarding the correction of names and the replacement of candidates.
The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Ken Asogwa, expressed confidence in the process, adding that the Labour Party was looking forward to a successful outing for its candidates in the forthcoming general elections.
Despite the assurances from the affected parties, uncertainty remains over the status of some candidates, particularly John Upan of the NDC and Ambassador Nkoyo Toyo of the ADC in Cross River State.
Ambassador Toyo told Vanguard that she had completed all the necessary requirements before the October 24 deadline. However, she said the electoral commission had yet to release further information on the matter.
Also speaking on the development, INEC’s Head of Voter Education in Cross River State, Osaro Aisen, explained that the matter was being handled by the commission’s headquarters in Abuja and involved legal considerations.
He said he could not provide a definite response until further clarification was received from Abuja.
The electoral commission is expected to provide further clarification on the status of the affected candidates as the process continues.
The development comes as political parties intensify preparations for the 2027 general elections, with the inclusion of candidates’ names on the official list remaining an important issue for those seeking elective positions.