The final list of senatorial candidates released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the January 2027 general election has shown that 52 of the 109 serving members of the Senate will not be on the ballot, bringing their tenure in the National Assembly to an end next June.
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The commission published the Certified True Copy of candidates on Saturday, confirming those cleared to contest the National Assembly elections across the 109 senatorial districts.
A review of the list indicates that 57 serving senators made it through their party primaries and were validated by the commission to seek another term in the 11th Senate. The remaining 52 were left out, either because they lost their party tickets, opted to contest other positions, or stepped aside for other interests within their parties.
The President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, his Deputy, Senator Barau Jibrin, and Senator Orji Uzor Kalu are among the serving senators who made the final list.
Other prominent incumbents cleared to contest include the Deputy Senate President, Senator Barau Jibrin, for Kano North, Senator Ireti Kingibe for the Federal Capital Territory on the platform of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan for Kogi Central on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Findings show that a significant number of the outgoing lawmakers are not leaving solely on account of primary defeats. Several are moving on to pursue governorship ambitions, while others withdrew to accommodate governors or powerful party stakeholders seeking the senatorial seats.
In Ogun State, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, will not return to Ogun West after clinching the governorship ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC). In the same state, former governor Senator Gbenga Daniel will exit the Senate, the Ogun East ticket having gone to Governor Dapo Abiodun.
In Nasarawa, Senator Aliyu Wadada, who earlier chaired the Senate Public Accounts Committee, is leaving the Red Chamber to contest the 2027 governorship election on the APC platform.
The Imo West seat is also changing hands. The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Capital Market, Senator Osita Izunaso, will not return after the ticket was ceded to Governor Hope Uzodinma. Similar arrangements played out in Yobe and Gombe, where incumbent governors took over senatorial tickets in their states.
In Sokoto, former governor and former Senate Minority Leader, Senator Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, will also bow out. Party sources said he stepped down for a younger candidate under a power-sharing arrangement within the African Democratic Congress.
Notwithstanding the scale of the turnover, the list shows that some states will retain their complete complement of serving senators.
All three Lagos senators made the cut: Senator Adetokunbo Abiru for Lagos East, Senator Idiat Adebule for Lagos West, and Senator Wasiu Sanni for Lagos Central.
In Ekiti, the Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, for Ekiti Central, the Senate Spokesman, Senator Yemi Adaramodu, for Ekiti South, and Senator Cyril Fasuyi for Ekiti North all secured their party tickets.
Akwa Ibom will also return its three senators: the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, for Akwa Ibom North West, Senator Aniekan Bassey for Akwa Ibom North East, and Senator Ekong Sampson for Akwa Ibom South.
Borno is another state where the entire senatorial delegation will be seeking re-election, including the Chief Whip, Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume, for Borno South.
Legal practitioners note that the position of some of the 52 senators left off the list is not yet final.
Under sections 31 and 33 of the Electoral Act 2026, a candidate may withdraw by written notice supported by a sworn affidavit not later than 90 days to the election, after which a political party may substitute a candidate only in the event of death or withdrawal.
With the presidential and National Assembly elections fixed for 16 January 2027, the parties retain a window of more than 120 days within which changes may still be effected.
The commission is further required by section 32(1) of the Act to publish the final particulars of all nominated candidates not later than 60 days before polling day.
The publication has now set the stage for what promises to be one of the most competitive senatorial contests in recent years, with a mix of veteran lawmakers, former governors and new entrants contesting for the 109 seats.
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