2027: Nwifuru, Odii, Nwagu, 9 others make INEC final list for Ebonyi governorship

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has finalized the list of 12 candidates for the Ebonyi State governorship election set to take place in 2027. The list, published on October 10, 2026, includes the incumbent Governor Francis Nwifuru of the All Progressives Congress, APC, and his main challenger, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate Ifeanyichukwuma Odii.

Additionally, the list features Senator Paulinus Igwe Nwagu, who is contesting as the candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC. Other political parties represented in the final list are the Labour Party (LP), Democratic Leadership Alliance (DLA), and three female candidates from the Action People’s Party (APP), Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), and All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).

Four women also secured places as deputy governorship candidates, but the list did not include any candidates with disabilities for either the governorship or deputy governorship positions. In total, 238 candidates have been listed to contest the 24 seats in the Ebonyi State House of Assembly, with 210 males and 28 females. No candidates with disabilities were found among the Assembly candidates either.

Candidate distribution across political parties for the Assembly election shows that the APC, PDP, NDC, and SDP have candidates vying for all 24 seats, while other parties such as the SDP, NRM, ADP, ADC, APM, APNM, YPP, LP, APGA, APP, DLA, APP, DLA, APP, and PRP have candidates in varying numbers. The distribution indicates that the APC, PDP, NDC, and SDP have the most candidates vying for the Assembly seats.