INEC’s Director of Information and Voter Education, Victoria Eta-Mesi, confirmed the development in response to enquiries from The Nation, stating that the commission would publish the corrected list once the necessary adjustments had been completed.
The delay follows controversy over the omission of some candidates from the lists for the 2027 elections, with affected political parties and aspirants seeking clarification and requesting that their names be restored where appropriate.
The dispute is linked to a Supreme Court judgment delivered on September 24, 2026, concerning provisions of the Electoral Act, 2026, which require political parties to submit their membership registers within the stipulated period.
Following the judgment, INEC excluded some political parties and their candidates from the governorship and State Houses of Assembly lists over alleged non-compliance with the legal requirements.
However, the commission had already published the final lists of presidential and National Assembly candidates on September 12, 2026, before the Supreme Court delivered its judgment.
INEC subsequently gave affected political parties until October 24, 2026, to submit complaints regarding candidates they believed had been wrongly omitted.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) also wrote to the commission, requesting the implementation of the Supreme Court judgment in relation to the affected candidates.
A source within the commission indicated that the submitted complaints would be examined individually in line with the Electoral Act and the Constitution. Candidates whose cases meet the applicable legal requirements may be included, while those who fail to satisfy the requirements may remain excluded.
The commission is also expected to consider relevant court decisions in cases that are still before the judiciary.
The absence of a publication date leaves affected candidates and political parties waiting for clarity as preparations for the 2027 elections continue.
INEC has maintained that the necessary corrections will be made and the updated list published once the review process is completed.
