Four political parties in [Bauchi State](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bauchi_State) – the Social Democratic Party, New Nigeria Peoples Party, Action Alliance and Accord Party – discovered that their governorship candidates were missing from the [Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)](https://www.inecnigeria.org) official list for the 2027 election, prompting them to seek a meeting with INEC’s national leadership in Abuja for clarification.
The INEC website displayed fifteen cleared candidates for the 2027 Bauchi governorship race, omitting the nominees of SDP, NNPP, AA and Accord. The excluded parties are SDP, NNPP, Action Alliance and Accord Party. The commission has not offered an explanation, and a senior INEC officer in Bauchi indicated that only the headquarters in Abuja could comment.
**Why were the four parties left out?**
The reason for the omission remains undisclosed. INEC officials said the list was compiled after verification of party submissions, but the four parties claim their documents were duly filed. No official statement has been released to date.
**What actions are the affected parties taking?**
NNPP deputy governorship candidate Abubakar Zakari said party chairman Dr. Agbo Major will engage INEC to ascertain the cause and inform members, urging calm among Bauchi residents. State chairman Alhaji Abdul‑Karim Matori echoed the call for patience, describing the exclusion as likely inadvertent and promising legal and administrative recourse. SDP state chairman Alhaji Nasiru announced an emergency meeting to review the matter, while Action Alliance’s Mallam Kabiru Garba pledged that the party’s national legal team will approach INEC for clarification.
“The NNPP understands the disquiet and apprehension this omission has raised among our teeming supporters across Bauchi State,” Matori said.
**How are other parties proceeding?**
Parties whose candidates appear on the list – including AAC, ADC, ADP, APC, APGA, APM, APP, Labour Party, NDC, NDP and NRM – have continued campaign preparations for the 2027 polls, focusing on grassroots mobilisation and strategic planning.
The pending clarification from INEC will determine whether the four excluded parties can re‑enter the contest, a development that could reshape the competitive landscape of the 2027 Bauchi governorship election.