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#EdoDecides2024: INEC extends voting time in selected areas

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2 years ago

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is set to release the final list of candidates contesting the February 6, 2027, governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections, with eight states excluded from the governorship poll. According to The Nation, the commission is scheduled to publish the final list on Saturday, October 10, 2026, in line with Section 32(1) of the Electoral Act 2026. The affected states are Edo, Bayelsa, Ondo, Ekiti, Osun, Imo, Anambra and Kogi, where governorship elections will not hold as part of the February 2027 electoral exercise because they operate on separate election schedules. INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, disclosed during a world press conference and stakeholders’ meeting that 21 of Nigeria’s 22 registered political parties nominated 936 governorship and deputy governorship candidates for the 28 states scheduled to elect governors in 2027. The parties also nominated 9,692 candidates for the State Houses of Assembly elections. Section 32(1) of the Electoral Act 2026 requires INEC to publish the names and addresses of nominated candidates at least 60 days before an election. The law also provides a procedure for political parties to notify the commission if a candidate’s name is missing from the published list. Under Section 32(2), such notification must be submitted in writing, signed by the party’s national chairman and secretary, and supported by an affidavit within 14 days of publication. Meanwhile, governorship elections are expected to take place in Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Rivers, Delta, Enugu, Ebonyi, Abia, Niger, Nasarawa, Kwara, Benue, Plateau, Yobe, Borno, Adamawa, Taraba, Bauchi, Gombe, Kaduna, Kano, Jigawa, Katsina, Kebbi, Zamfara and Sokoto states. Although governorship elections will not take place in the eight excluded states during the February 2027 exercise, State House of Assembly elections are scheduled across all 36 states. The commission’s final list is expected to provide further details of the candidates and political parties participating in the elections. INEC had earlier set September 19, 2026, as the deadline for substituting candidates and September 26, 2026, as the final date for submitting nomination forms. The publication of the final list will be an important step in preparations for the 2027 elections, as political parties and candidates move towards the next phase of campaigning.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has extended voting time in areas where the process commenced late.

A statement by National Commissioner & Member, Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Haruna on Saturday, said its monitoring had indicated that although there were early commencement of polls in many polling units, there were also reports of late commencement in some locations.

It said, “The Commission continues to monitor the ongoing governorship election in Edo State from our situation room at the National Headquarters in Abuja.

‘Our monitoring indicates early commencement of polls in many Polling Units, but there are also reports of late commencement in some locations.

“To ensure that no voter is disenfranchised, the Commission wishes to reiterate that, in line with our Regulations and Guidelines, voting will be extended wherever it commenced late and will continue until the last voter in the queue who arrived at the Polling Unit by 2.30 pm has voted.

“Accordingly, we have drawn the attention of our office in Edo State to ensure that, where necessary, there is adequate power supply from our backup electric generators in the affected Polling Units or Ward Collation Centres.”

The announcement comes after Channels Television reported the late arrival of INEC officials at some polling units, including that of the PDP candidate, Asue Ighodalo.