The Peoples Democratic Party and the Nigeria Democratic Congress have threatened legal action against the Independent National Electoral Commission if it fails to include their omitted candidates in the list for the 2027 general elections.

The PDP National Publicity Secretary, Mohammed Jungudo, and his NDC counterpart, Osa Director, disclosed this in separate interviews with The newsmen, saying their parties would consider legal action if the situation remained unchanged by October 24.

INEC had published its final list of candidates for the February 6, 2027 governorship elections on October 10, following a Supreme Court judgment concerning party membership and registration data.

The list, by INEC Secretary, Rose Oriaran-Anthony, contained 13 candidates, with several prominent politicians excluded.

Those omitted include former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Professor Isa Pantami, the PDP governorship candidate in Gombe State, and the party’s candidate in Ogun State, Oladipupo Adebutu.

Other affected candidates include the New Democratic Congress governorship candidate in Kano State, Aminu Gwarzo; former Senator Danjuma Tella La’ah in Kaduna State; and the Social Democratic Party candidate in Benue State, Professor Sebastine Hon.

In a statement issued, INEC explained that some candidates were excluded because their political parties failed to submit their membership registers as required by law.

The commission cited Section 32(2) of the Electoral Act, 2026, which allows political parties that believe their candidates were wrongly omitted to notify INEC within 14 days of the publication of the final list.

INEC fixed October 24, 2026, as the deadline for submitting such notifications.

The NDC Publicity Secretary said the party would pursue legal remedies if the matter remained unresolved after the deadline.