The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has released the final list of candidates for the 2027 general elections, ending months of speculation over the political future of several prominent figures.
Among the notable omissions is former President Goodluck Jonathan, whose name was earlier submitted to INEC as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate by the Tanimu Turaki-led faction of the party.
Also absent from the final list are Senator Ned Nwoko (Delta North), former Ogun State Governor and Ogun East Senator Gbenga Daniel, former Gombe State Governor and Gombe Central Senator Danjuma Goje, and Senator Garba Maidoki of Kebbi South.
Nwoko’s exclusion confirms his earlier defeat in the All Progressives Congress (APC) senatorial primary, with former Delta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa emerging as the party’s candidate for the Delta North Senatorial District.
The development comes despite assurances previously given by Senate President Godswill Akpabio that the APC leadership was reviewing complaints from lawmakers who lost their return tickets during the party’s primaries.
Although the APC later reinstated six serving senators after reviewing petitions submitted to its Primary Election Appeal Committee, several influential politicians remained excluded from the final list submitted to INEC.
In Gombe State, former Governor Danjuma Goje failed to secure the APC ticket for Gombe Central after losing to retired Deputy Commissioner of Police Mohammed Ahmed. On the PDP platform, former Governor Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo clinched the Gombe North ticket, while Senator Anthony Siyako emerged as the party’s candidate for Gombe South.
Bauchi State also recorded notable omissions, with Senator Shehu Buba of Bauchi South and House of Representatives member Mansur Soro missing from the final list. Buba, who defected from the APC to the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), secured the party’s governorship ticket and will not seek re-election to the Senate. Soro had earlier announced that he would not contest for the Bauchi Central Senate seat or another term in the House of Representatives.
The latest development follows the APC National Working Committee’s review of primary election results across nine states—Kogi, Benue, Taraba, Ondo, Abia, Niger, Kwara, Kaduna and Ebonyi—which led to the reinstatement of six serving senators: 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, while one of the most significant changes saw former Benue State Governor Gabriel Suswam lose his earlier victory to incumbent Senator Emmanuel Udende.
With the release of the final candidate list, INEC has officially confirmed those cleared to contest the 2027 general elections, leaving several political heavyweights out of the race.