Chidinma Iroegbu
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has formally set the stage for a four-party contest for most of Nigeria’s 109 Senate seats in the 2027 general election, with the APC, ADC, NDC and PDP dominating the final list.
The final list shows that at least 52 serving senators will not return to the 11th National Assembly, while several districts will have fewer than four major-party candidates because some parties failed to field nominees.
INEC’s publication lists 1,195 candidates for the 109 senatorial districts, covering the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), the party of 2027 presidential candidate Peter Obi, has made a broad push across the country but has no candidates in Bauchi, Yobe, Benue North-east, Jigawa North-east, Ekiti South and Kaduna South, according to the list.
The gaps give the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and other parties openings in districts where the NDC did not nominate candidates, adding another layer to the competition for Senate seats.
The final list also highlights several high-profile contests involving serving and former political office holders as parties begin positioning for the 2027 National Assembly elections.
Meanwhile, the Action Peoples Party (APP) has gained attention following the movement of two serving members of the House of Representatives and a former federal lawmaker to the party, with the defectors securing its senatorial tickets.
The development comes as INEC’s final National Assembly list records 4,408 candidates overall, comprising 1,195 Senate candidates and 3,213 candidates for the House of Representatives.
The Senate list also shows a significant gender gap, with 1,080 male candidates compared with 115 female candidates contesting the 109 seats.
With the final list now published, the 2027 Senate race moves from party nominations to a wider electoral contest, with the four leading parties seeking control of the next National Assembly.