Niger 2027: INEC Lists 15 Guber Candidates, Ex- FIRS Chairman, Nami name missing 

 By Daniel Ebi , Minna

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has published the names of 15 governorship candidates submitted by political parties for the 2027 Niger State governorship election.

The list, released in line with the commission’s timetable for the 2027 general elections, has incumbent Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago of the All Progressives Congress (APC) among the candidates.

Other candidates on the published list are Ibrahim Aliyu Alhaji of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP); Suleiman Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP);

Mohammed Adamu of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA); Sani Alfa of the National Democratic Party (NDP); and Francis Aliyu of the Labour Party.

Also listed are Kolo Mohammed Aminu of the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP); Bello Isah Mohammed of the Action Peoples Party (APP); Umar Larat Aliyu of the Young Progressives Party (YPP); Usman Alhaji Abdullahi of the Accord Party; and Mohammed Kpautagi of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

Others are Adamu Ibrahim of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP); Tanko Haliru Musa Minna of the Action Peoples Movement (APM); Yerima Yakubu of the Social Democratic Party (SDP); and Audu Mohammed of the African Action Congress (AAC).

The list brings the number of governorship candidates currently published by INEC to 15.

However, Mohammed Mamman Nami is not among the 15 names on the published list.

Nami was recently endorsed by the Niger State chapter of the PDP to replace Suleiman Abubakar, who reportedly withdrew from the governorship race to pick a house of representative seat, for Edati, Lavun and Mokwa federal constituency.

His name is therefore not included in the INEC list currently being referenced, pending the completion and formal recognition of the substitution process by the electoral commission.

The development has generated interest in the political landscape ahead of the 2027 election, particularly with the APC’s Bago seeking another term and the PDP preparing to field Nami following Suleiman’s withdrawal.

The other political parties are also expected to intensify their mobilization as the election approaches.

The 2027 Niger governorship election is expected to be closely contested, with issues including security, infrastructure, agriculture, employment, education, healthcare.