INEC Releases Final 2027 Candidates’ List, Jonathan, Nwoko, Goje Among High-Profile Exclusions

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has unveiled the final list of candidates for the 2027 general elections, leaving out a number of prominent political figures, including former President Goodluck Jonathan and several serving and former lawmakers.

Jonathan’s omission comes despite claims by the Tanimu Turaki-led faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that it had submitted his name as the party’s presidential candidate.

Also absent from the final list are Senator Ned Nwoko (Delta North), former Gombe State Governor Danjuma Goje (Gombe Central), former Ogun State Governor Gbenga Daniel (Ogun East), and Senator Garba Maidoki (Kebbi South).

The publication of the candidates’ list follows months of political maneuvering after Senate President Godswill Akpabio assured APC lawmakers who lost during the party’s primaries that their grievances would be reviewed.

Although the All Progressives Congress (APC) eventually reinstated six serving senators after considering petitions submitted to its Primary Election Appeal Committee, several influential politicians were not restored and consequently failed to make the final list forwarded to INEC.

In Delta State, the senatorial list confirmed former Governor Ifeanyi Okowa as the APC candidate for Delta North, effectively ending Senator Ned Nwoko’s bid for re-election under the party.

A similar outcome emerged in Gombe State, where former Governor Danjuma Goje was edged out after retired Deputy Commissioner of Police Mohammed Ahmed secured the APC senatorial ticket.

On the PDP platform, former Governor Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo emerged as the party’s candidate for Gombe North Senatorial District, while Senator Anthony Siyako picked the ticket for Gombe South.

In Bauchi State, Senator Shehu Buba and House of Representatives member Mansur Soro also failed to appear on the final candidates’ list. Buba is instead pursuing the governorship on the platform of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), while Soro had earlier announced his decision not to seek another elective office.

The APC’s review process had earlier altered the outcome of primaries across several states, including Kogi, Benue, Taraba, Ondo, Abia, Niger, Kwara, Kaduna and Ebonyi, leading to the reinstatement of Senators Sunday Karimi, Emmanuel Udende, Titus Zam, Shuaibu Isa Lau, Adeniyi Adegbonmire and Olajide Ipinsagba.

The exercise also produced one of its biggest reversals in Benue State, where former Governor Gabriel Suswam lost the APC ticket he had initially secured after the party reinstated incumbent Senator Emmanuel Udende as its candidate.