INEC Kwara: 2027 NASS Candidates Final List Confirmed Amidst Disputes

• INEC published the final list of candidates for the 2027 National Assembly elections in Kwara State on October 10, 2026.
• The list includes Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq (APC) and Senator Saliu Mustapha (PDP) contesting for Kwara Central.
• Senator Mustapha joined the PDP through a substitution process after losing the APC governorship primary and failing to secure their senatorial ticket.
• Kolo Baba Jiya is listed as the PDP candidate for Kwara North, despite an ongoing legal challenge from Suleiman Rotimi Iliasu.
• Iliasu claims he won the PDP primary on May 20, 2026, and his name was initially published by INEC before being replaced by Baba Jiya's.

The publication of this 'final' list, however, does not signify the end of electoral disputes, as evidenced by the active legal challenge to the Kwara North senatorial candidacy.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) formally released its definitive roster of candidates for the upcoming 2027 National Assembly elections in Kwara State on October 10, 2026. This comprehensive list, made public on INEC's official website, delineates the contenders across the state's senatorial districts, featuring candidates from 13 political organizations vying for the Kwara Central seat, and 11 parties each for Kwara North and Kwara South. The publication arrives amidst significant political maneuvering and realignments in anticipation of the 2027 polls.

A prominent contest highlighted in the INEC Kwara NASS candidates 2027 final list is for the Kwara Central senatorial district. Here, incumbent Senator Saliu Mustapha is slated to represent the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), challenging the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq. Governor AbdulRazaq is seeking a transition to the Senate as his gubernatorial term concludes in 2027, setting the stage for a high-profile electoral battle.

Senator Mustapha's emergence as the PDP candidate for Kwara Central followed his departure from the APC in August. This move came after his unsuccessful bid for the APC governorship primary, which was won by Yakubu Danladi-Salihu, the current Speaker of the Kwara State House of Assembly. Furthermore, Mustapha was unable to secure the APC's senatorial ticket, leading him to obtain the PDP ticket through a candidate substitution process. This shift has intensified the political rivalry between Mustapha and AbdulRazaq, whose long-standing differences have been a notable feature of APC's internal affairs in Kwara State.

While the INEC Kwara NASS candidates 2027 final list aims to provide clarity, it also underscores ongoing controversies, particularly concerning the candidacies of two PDP aspirants. In the Kwara North senatorial district, Kolo Baba Jiya is officially listed as the PDP candidate. However, this listing is subject to an active legal challenge initiated by Suleiman Rotimi Iliasu, a former Commissioner for Works and Transport.

Mr. Iliasu has taken his case to the Federal High Court in Ilorin, asserting that he was the legitimate winner of the PDP senatorial primary held on May 20, 2026. He further contends that INEC initially published his name as the party's candidate on August 1, only for it to be subsequently replaced by Kolo Baba Jiya's name. The publication of this 'final' list, however, does not signify the end of electoral disputes, as evidenced by the active legal challenge to the Kwara North senatorial candidacy. This dispute highlights the complexities and potential for INEC candidate substitution disputes to persist even after official lists are released, emphasizing that a "final" list may not always be the definitive word on candidacies.

Senator Saliu Mustapha articulated his decision to leave the APC, stating that the party's leadership in Kwara State had deviated from its foundational principles of internal democracy and collective participation. He emphasized that his move to the PDP was not solely a personal political ambition but rather a strategic alignment involving a coalition of political factions, including the "Otoge Progressives," the "G15," and the "Elder Caucus." Mustapha also voiced criticisms regarding the conduct of the APC governorship primary, specifically questioning the integrity of the result collation and announcement processes.

These developments, including the high-stakes Kwara Central PDP contest and the Kwara North PDP legal challenge, are unfolding against a backdrop of significant political realignments across Nigeria. The inclusion of these candidates on INEC's final list for the 2027 National Assembly elections in Kwara State confirms their official status for now, but the ongoing legal proceedings, particularly the challenge brought by Suleiman Rotimi Iliasu, demonstrate that the electoral landscape remains fluid and subject to judicial intervention. The controversies surrounding these PDP candidacies underscore the dynamic nature of pre-election politics and the critical role of legal processes in shaping the ultimate ballot.

Lawyers advising political parties or candidates must recognize that INEC's 'final' list of candidates does not preclude ongoing legal challenges to candidacies, particularly concerning primary election disputes and candidate substitutions, as exemplified by the Kwara North PDP senatorial seat. This necessitates continued monitoring of court decisions that could alter the electoral landscape even after official publication.

Source: Reporting based on recent electoral commission disclosures.