The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) will on Saturday, August 29, display the names of candidates nominated by political parties for the February 6, 2027, governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections.

The exercise is part of the commission’s preparations for the 2027 general elections and will allow political parties, candidates and members of the public to scrutinise and verify the details submitted to INEC.

Governorship elections will be conducted in 28 states, while State Houses of Assembly elections will hold across all 36 states of the federation.

The states scheduled to elect governors in 2027 are Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Delta, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Enugu, Ebonyi, Abia, Kwara, Benue, Plateau, Niger, Nasarawa, Borno, Yobe, Adamawa, Taraba, Bauchi, Gombe, Jigawa, Kano, Kaduna, Katsina, Zamfara, Kebbi and Sokoto.

However, eight states—Ondo, Osun, Ekiti, Edo, Bayelsa, Anambra, Imo and Kogi—will not participate in the governorship election, having held their polls at different times under Nigeria’s staggered electoral cycle.

The 22 registered political parties are expected to field candidates in several states where the tenure of incumbent governors will expire in 2027, including Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Yobe, Borno, Adamawa, Bauchi, Gombe, Kwara and Nasarawa.

The August 29 deadline also covers the submission of final candidate lists for the presidential and National Assembly elections by political parties.

This follows the August 22 deadline for candidates wishing to withdraw from the 2027 polls.

Under Section 31 of the Electoral Act 2026, a candidate seeking to withdraw must submit a written notice, personally signed and accompanied by an affidavit, to the political party that nominated them.

INEC is expected to publish the final list of candidates for the presidential and National Assembly elections on September 12. The list will cover candidates for the presidency, Senate and House of Representatives.

With the deadlines approaching, political parties are expected to conclude outstanding nomination, withdrawal and substitution processes before INEC publishes the respective final candidate lists.

The February 6, 2027, governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections will constitute a major component of the wider electoral timetable for the 2027 general elections.