Prof. Sebastine Hon, the [Social Democratic Party (SDP)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_Democratic_Party_(Nigeria)) candidate for the Benue State governorship, announced that his exclusion from the [Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)](https://www.inecnigeria.org/) final list of 2027 candidates was a minor clerical error and urged party members and supporters to remain calm while the matter is resolved.
**What caused the confusion?**
The omission was discovered after INEC published its definitive roster of 12 governorship aspirants for the 2027 election on Saturday, a list that did not feature Hon’s name despite representing a major political party in [Benue State](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benue_State).
**Key details:**
- The released list included candidates from twelve different parties across the state.
- Hon’s campaign director‑general, Dr. Ngutor Anyanwu, issued a statement on Hon’s behalf.
- Hon expressed confidence that the oversight would be swiftly corrected, stating, “I believe this is just a minor error. It will be corrected.”
- Party officials reported that the error caused temporary confusion among members and supporters.
**What are the next steps?**
The SDP campaign team plans to lodge a formal request with INEC to amend the list and ensure Hon’s name appears among the official candidates before the election timetable progresses.
The situation remains under close watch, with party loyalists awaiting confirmation that the correction will be made promptly.