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| Araba rufus Aiyenigba |
The Social Democratic Party (SDP) has begun moves to secure the inclusion of its governorship candidates in Oyo, Bauchi, Benue and Sokoto states after their names were missing from the list of candidates published by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the 2027 elections.
The party said it would formally engage the electoral commission and take advantage of the 14-day period provided under the Electoral Act 2026 to address errors in the published list.
SDP National Publicity Secretary, Araba Rufus Aiyenigba, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday, October 11, 2026, following concerns raised by party members and supporters in the affected states.
Aiyenigba confirmed that the omissions were not limited to governorship candidates, as some SDP candidates seeking election into state Houses of Assembly were also excluded from the commission's publication.
He acknowledged that the development had created uncertainty among supporters but assured them that the party was already taking steps to resolve the situation.
According to him, the SDP considers the omissions an error requiring urgent correction and has begun exploring the available procedures to ensure that its affected candidates are properly listed.
Among those whose names were reportedly missing are the party's Benue State governorship candidate, Prof. Sebastine Hon, SAN, and its Oyo State candidate, Mogaji Olusegun Agboola.
The party also identified Bauchi and Sokoto as states where its governorship candidates were affected, although the statement did not provide their names.
Aiyenigba said the party had received assurances that the matter would be addressed promptly by INEC, expressing confidence that the necessary corrections would be made.
He explained that the party was relying on the corrective provisions of the Electoral Act 2026, which allow a 14-day window for addressing errors identified in the commission's publication.
The SDP spokesman maintained that the party was treating the matter with the seriousness it deserved, given the importance of ensuring that its candidates are included in the electoral process.
He urged the affected candidates not to allow the development to disrupt their preparations for the forthcoming elections.
Aiyenigba also advised them to communicate directly with their supporters and reassure them that efforts were underway to address the omissions through the appropriate channels.
He encouraged the candidates to continue their campaign activities while the party pursued the necessary corrections with the electoral commission.
The party's position follows concerns among members in the affected states over the absence of their preferred candidates from the published list.
Although the SDP described the omissions as errors, the statement did not provide a detailed explanation of how they occurred.
It also did not indicate whether INEC had formally communicated the reasons for excluding the affected names.
Nevertheless, the party expressed confidence that its engagement with the commission would produce a favourable outcome within the period allowed for corrections.
The SDP reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring that its governorship and state constituency candidates are properly recognised ahead of the 2027 elections.
With the corrective process now underway, the party is awaiting the necessary action from INEC to address the disputed entries and clarify the status of its affected candidates.