INEC Moves to Seal Presidential and NASS Candidates With Final List, September 12

By Aliyu Saleh

The Independent National Electoral Commission is set to take a major step towards fixing the political field for Nigeria’s 2027 general elections with the publication of the final list of presidential and National Assembly candidates on September 12, 2026.

The list, which is expected to contain the final candidates for the presidential, Senate and House of Representatives elections, will come as political parties conclude the nomination, withdrawal and substitution stages ahead of the January 16, 2027 polls.

THE NATIONAL LENS reports that the September 12 deadline is significant because it moves the election process beyond much of the uncertainty surrounding party nominations. Under the 2026 Electoral Act, INEC is required to publish the final list of candidates at least 60 days before the election.

INEC had earlier published the personal particulars of presidential and National Assembly candidates submitted by political parties. That exercise, however, was not the final candidate list, as parties still had a window within which nominated candidates could withdraw or be substituted.

The deadline for withdrawal and substitution of presidential and National Assembly candidates was August 22, while political parties were required to submit their final candidate lists and relevant nomination documents by August 29.

With those stages completed, INEC officials are now expected to finalise the information before releasing the names that will form the basis of the federal elections.

The publication, our correspondent gathered, is likely to be closely watched by political parties, candidates and their supporters, particularly against the backdrop of disputes arising from some primary elections and subsequent substitutions.

One notable dispute involves former Benue State governor and serving senator, Gabriel Suswam, who is challenging the decision of the All Progressives Congress to replace him as its candidate for the Benue North East Senatorial District. The case has already reached the Federal High Court in Abuja, with judgment reserved for October 12.

Such disputes underline the importance of the final list, although the publication itself may not necessarily bring every nomination-related legal battle to an immediate end.

The presidential contest is already taking shape, with INEC having previously published a provisional list containing 19 presidential candidates and their running mates. The final publication will determine whether that field remains unchanged or reflects any valid withdrawals, substitutions or other developments recognised by the commission.

At the National Assembly level, the stakes are equally high. Nigeria will elect 109 senators and 360 members of the House of Representatives, bringing the total number of federal legislative seats to 469.

The APC, Peoples Democratic Party and African Democratic Congress are expected to field candidates across the National Assembly constituencies, while other political parties are also participating to varying degrees.

The final list comes at a time when the presidential and National Assembly campaigns have already commenced. INEC’s timetable puts the campaign period from August 19, 2026, to January 14, 2027, two days before the national elections.

That means the September 12 publication will effectively give voters a more definitive picture of the contenders competing for Nigeria’s highest elective office and the seats that will shape the next National Assembly.

It will also mark a shift in the political contest. Once INEC publishes the final names, the major parties will have less room to alter their tickets, leaving campaigns increasingly focused on voter mobilisation, coalition-building, public messaging and the battle for electoral advantage.

The presidential and National Assembly elections are scheduled for January 16, 2027, while governorship and State House of Assembly elections will follow on February 6.

INEC is scheduled to publish the final list for the governorship and State House of Assembly elections on October 10, 2026.

For the 2027 election cycle, therefore, September 12 is more than another date on INEC’s timetable. It represents the point at which the commission is expected to formally lock in the candidates for the first and perhaps most consequential phase of the general elections.