2027 Poll: INEC Releases Guber, Assembly Lists In Niger, Benue, Gombe, Others

By Ademu Idakwo, Abuja, Abdulahi Olesin, Ilorin, Àhmed Tahir , Lafia , Abu Nmodu, Minna, Babaji Usman Babaji, Gombe, AZa Msue, Kaduna

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Saturday released the personal particulars of candidates nominated by political parties for the 2027 governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections, with prominent politicians, including Niger State Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago, former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, Yakubu Danladi-Salihu, Ahmed Aliyu Wadada and Emmanuel David Ombugadu, featuring on the lists.

The publication is in accordance with Section 29(3) of the Electoral Act, 2026, which requires the commission to publish the particulars of nominated candidates within 21 days of receiving the relevant information from political parties.

In Nasarawa State, the commission listed Ombugadu as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate among 14 governorship candidates whose particulars were published.

Also on the Nasarawa list are Ahmed Aliyu Wadada of the All Progressives Congress (APC); Musa Adamu Angbazo of the Social Democratic Party (SDP); Dahiru Musa Doma of the Action Peoples Party (APP); Jonathan Gaza Gbefwi of the Labour Party (LP); Angbazo of the African Democratic Congress (ADC); Ibrahim Kasimu Aboh of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA); and Christopher Mamman of the Action Democratic Party (ADP).

Others are Abdullahi Omame Abisabo of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP); Abubakar Abdu Giza; Mohammed Awwal Suleiman of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM); Abdullah Bukhari of the Action Alliance (AA); Kigbu John Tanko of the Young Progressives Party (YPP); and Dogo Danladi Shammah of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC).

In Kwara State, INEC listed the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Engr. Yakubu Danladi-Salihu, as the governorship candidate of the APC.

Others on the Kwara governorship list are the PDP candidate, Engr. Sulaiman Bolakale Kawu; Dr Ridwan Apaokagi of the SDP; Adeshina Ajisafe of the Action Democratic Party (ADP); and Seko Jubril Gure of the Accord Party.

Also listed are Abdulmunin Yinka Ajia of the National Democratic Congress (NDC); Omotoso Bamidele Olaitan of the African Action Party (AAP); Kolo Ezekiel of the Action Alliance (AA); and Oluwole Tolu of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM).

In Niger State, INEC published the particulars of 15 governorship candidates nominated by various political parties.

The candidates are Ibrahim Aliyu Alhaji of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP); Suleiman Abubakar of the PDP; Mohammed Adamu of APGA; Sani Alfa of the National Democratic Party (NDP); Francis Aliyu of the Labour Party; Kolo Mohammed Aminu of the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP); Bello Isah Mohammed of the Action Peoples Party (APP); and Umar Larat Aliyu of the Young Progressives Party (YPP).

Others are Usman Alhaji Abdullahi of the Accord Party; incumbent Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago of the APC; Mohammed Kpautagi of the African Democratic Congress (ADC); Adamu Ibrahim of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP); Tanko Haliru Musa Minna of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM); Yerima Yakubu of the Social Democratic Party (SDP); and Audu Mohammed of the African Action Congress (AAC).

In Gombe State, the candidates whose particulars were published include Jamilu Isyaku Gwamna of the APC; Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami of the PDP; Bala Bello Tinka of the ADC; Lamela L. Silas of the APM; and Sadiq Abubakar of the NDC.

Gombe State INEC spokesman, Mohorret Bigun, confirmed the publication but clarified that the current document contains the candidates’ particulars and is not the final list.

According to him, the final list is expected to be released in October, while candidates and political parties still have opportunities to make changes or withdraw candidates in line with the electoral timetable.

The publication also covers candidates for the various State Houses of Assembly across the country.

In Kwara, members and supporters of political parties reportedly besieged the state INEC office on Western Reservoir Road, Adewole area of Ilorin, to inspect the displayed particulars and confirm the names of their respective candidates.

Some of the guber candidates released in Benue to stand election were Governor Hyacinth Alia of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Prof. Terhemba Shija of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Herman Iorwase Hembe of African Democratic Congress (ADC) among others.

Meanwhile, in Kaduna State, Governor Uba Sani was named APC governorship candidate, Isah Ashiru emerged as ADC governorship candidate as others were not verified at the time of filling this report.

The commission had initially scheduled the online publication of the names, personal particulars and other required information relating to governorship and State House of Assembly candidates between July 18 and August 8, 2026.

The exercise was subsequently extended to August 11 following appeals by political parties for additional time to complete the nomination process.

INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Kudu Haruna, had said the extension was granted to enable political parties to complete the required processes.

The commission had earlier published the personal particulars of presidential and National Assembly candidates on August 1.

Meanwhile, August 29 was fixed as the deadline for political parties to submit nomination forms EC13A, EC13B, EC13C, EC13D and EC13E for presidential and National Assembly candidates.

The window for the withdrawal and replacement of presidential and National Assembly candidates closed on August 22.

Political parties held their primaries for the 2027 elections between April 23 and May 30, 2026.

INEC has fixed January 16, 2027, for the presidential and National Assembly elections, while governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections are scheduled for February 6, 2027.

Campaigns for governorship and State Assembly candidates are expected to commence on September 9, 2026.