The Independent National Electoral Commission has fixed Saturday, October 10, 2026, for the publication of the final list of candidates contesting the 2027 governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections.

INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, disclosed the date during a press briefing in Abuja, with the commission subsequently reiterating the timetable for the release of the final candidate list.

The publication represents another major step in the commission’s preparations for the 2027 elections, particularly as political parties and their candidates move further into the campaign season.

According to INEC, 21 of Nigeria’s 22 registered political parties submitted candidates for the governorship and State Houses of Assembly contests.

The parties collectively submitted 936 governorship and deputy governorship candidates, alongside 9,692 candidates seeking election into the various State Houses of Assembly.

INEC had earlier published the personal particulars of the nominated candidates as part of the electoral timetable. The final list is expected to take account of subsequent withdrawals, substitutions, corrections and other changes made during the nomination process.

The commission's revised timetable provides for the publication of the final list of governorship and State Assembly candidates on October 10, following the completion of the relevant nomination and substitution processes.

The electoral body has already completed the corresponding stage for the National Assembly elections. INEC published the final list of National Assembly candidates on September 12, 2026.

For the presidential election, INEC said 18 of the 22 registered political parties submitted a total of 36 presidential and vice-presidential candidates.

The 2027 elections will be conducted in two phases under the commission's current timetable. The presidential and National Assembly elections are scheduled for January 16, 2027, while the governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections are scheduled for February 6, 2027.

The publication of the October 10 list will therefore give voters, political parties and other stakeholders a clearer picture of the candidates formally cleared to contest the state-level elections, subject to any applicable court orders or subsequent legal developments.

INEC has also continued preparations in other areas, including voter registration and accreditation technology, as it works towards the 2027 polls.

With the final candidate list due to be released on October 10, attention is expected to shift increasingly towards the candidates, their parties and the campaigns ahead of the February 2027 governorship and State Assembly elections.

Reporting by TalkNaijaMedia