The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has released the final list of candidates for the 2027 general elections, ending months of uncertainty over the nominations of political parties.
Among the prominent figures absent from the list are former President Goodluck Jonathan, whom a faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) led by Tanimu Turaki had claimed to have nominated as its presidential candidate.
Also missing from the final list are Senator Ned Nwoko (Delta North), former Ogun State Governor Gbenga Daniel (Ogun East), former Gombe State Governor Danjuma Goje (Gombe Central), and Senator Garba Maidoki (Kebbi South).
The release comes two months after Senate President Godswill Akpabio assured lawmakers who lost APC return tickets during the party’s primaries that efforts were underway to address grievances. Although the APC reinstated six serving senators after reviewing appeals, several influential politicians remained excluded from the final list submitted to INEC.
In Delta State, Senator Ned Nwoko’s name was omitted, while former Governor Ifeanyi Okowa emerged as the APC senatorial candidate for Delta North, confirming Nwoko’s defeat in the party primary.
In Gombe State, former Governor Danjuma Goje also failed to secure the APC ticket, which was awarded to retired Deputy Commissioner of Police Mohammed Ahmed. On the PDP platform, former Governor Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo won the ticket for Gombe North Senatorial District, while Anthony Siyako emerged as the party’s candidate for Gombe South.
In Bauchi State, Senator Shehu Buba (Bauchi South) and House of Representatives member Mansur Soro (Darazo/Ganjuwa) were also absent from the final list. Senator Buba, elected on the APC platform, defected to the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) after securing its governorship ticket, while Mansur Soro had earlier announced he would not seek re-election.
The APC’s review process covered nine states—Kogi, Benue, Taraba, Ondo, Abia, Niger, Kwara, Kaduna, and Ebonyi.
The six senators reinstated by the party are Sunday Karimi, Emmanuel Udende, Titus Zam, Shuaibu Isa Lau, Adeniyi Adegbonmire, and Olajide Ipinsagba.
In Abia State, Prince Paul Ikonne replaced Edinburgh Uchenna Erondu as the APC candidate for Abia South Senatorial District.
One of the most significant outcomes of the review was in Benue State, where the APC overturned former Governor Gabriel Suswam’s earlier victory and restored the ticket to the incumbent senator, Emmanuel Udende.(Crystal News)
