The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced that it will publish the final list of candidates contesting the 2027 governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections on Saturday, October 10, 2026.
The announcement was contained in a statement issued on Wednesday following a world press conference addressed by the INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, on Tuesday.
According to the electoral commission, 18 of the 22 registered political parties submitted a total of 36 presidential and vice-presidential candidates for the 2027 general elections.
INEC said the final list of candidates for the National Assembly elections had already been published on September 12, 2026, while the governorship and State Assembly lists would follow in October.
“18 of the 22 registered political parties submitted 36 presidential and vice-presidential candidates, while the Final List of Candidates for the National Assembly was published on 12th September 2026,” the commission stated.
“The final list for governorship and State Houses of Assembly candidates will be published on 10th October 2026.”
The electoral body also assured Nigerians and the international community of its commitment to conducting credible elections as preparations intensify ahead of the 2027 polls.
Amupitan said the commission remained focused on neutrality, operational efficiency and protecting the integrity of the electoral process as the country entered the final 100-day countdown to the election.
On voter registration, INEC disclosed that the three phases of the Continuous Voter Registration exercise produced 10,772,421 newly registered voters.
The commission said the development had increased the total number of registered voters on the national register to about 103 million.
INEC further announced that the updated voter register would be displayed publicly between October 9 and October 15, 2026, to enable citizens to scrutinise the records and raise any necessary objections.
“The register will be displayed for public scrutiny from 9th to 15th October 2026,” the commission said.
It added that the distribution of Permanent Voter Cards from the first phase of the exercise to Local Government centres would commence on Friday, October 9.
On the commission’s finances, the INEC chairman acknowledged the release of statutory funds by the Federal Government, saying the payments had helped the commission meet its obligations to international vendors, produce essential election technology and improve its infrastructure.
However, Amupitan appealed for the release of outstanding funds to allow INEC to complete the remaining preparations for the 2027 elections without disruption.
He reaffirmed that the commission was committed to ensuring that all outstanding electoral activities were carried out effectively as the countdown to the general elections continues.
