2027: INEC Lists 592 Candidates for 52 Governorship and Legislative Seats in Benue

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has disclosed that 592 candidates will contest 52 elective positions in Benue State during the 2027 general elections.

The commission also announced that 3,057,225 registered voters are expected to participate in the elections across 5,102 polling units in the state.

The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Benue, Aminu Idris, disclosed this on Wednesday during a stakeholders’ meeting at INEC’s state collation centre in Makurdi.

The meeting was attended by representatives of political parties, civil society organisations and the media, who received updates on the commission’s preparations for the elections.

Idris announced that the presidential and National Assembly elections would hold on January 16, 2027, while the governorship and State House of Assembly elections were scheduled for February 6, 2027.

He urged political parties, security agencies, civil society organisations and other stakeholders to support efforts to ensure peaceful, free, fair, credible and inclusive elections across the state.

Providing a breakdown of the candidates, the REC said 18 political parties were participating in the presidential election, while 12 parties had candidates for the governorship contest in Benue.

He disclosed that 40 candidates would contest the three senatorial seats in the state. Of the total, 12 candidates are contesting in Benue North-East Senatorial District, 13 in Benue North-West and 15 in Benue South.

For the House of Representatives, Idris said 118 candidates would compete for the 11 federal constituencies in the state.

Otukpo/Ohimini Federal Constituency recorded the highest number, with 15 candidates seeking election.

The REC further disclosed that 422 candidates would contest the 37 seats in the Benue State House of Assembly.

At the national level, he said 18 of the 22 registered political parties had submitted nominations for the presidential election, while 21 parties presented candidates for governorship and legislative elections.

Idris explained that INEC had published the final lists of nominated candidates in line with Section 32(1) of the Electoral Act, 2026.

According to him, the final list for the presidential and National Assembly elections was released on September 12, 2026, while the list for governorship and State House of Assembly elections was published on October 10, 2026.

He urged political parties to begin training their polling agents ahead of the elections, particularly on the procedures for uploading and deploying agents to polling units and collation centres.

On the restoration of state constituencies, Idris explained that the number of seats in the Benue State House of Assembly had increased from 32 to 37 following court judgments restoring 27 constituencies across Benue, Delta, Jigawa and Kogi states.

He identified the five restored constituencies in Benue as Ukum II (Afia) in Ukum Local Government Area; Konshisha (Shange-Tiev) in Konshisha; Gboko III (Central) in Gboko; Makurdi III (South-East) in Makurdi; and Nyamatsor in Buruku.

On electoral logistics, the REC said the commission had commenced the distribution of non-sensitive election materials to its state and area council offices.

He added that INEC had completed an inventory of its Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) devices in preparation for the polls.

According to him, 5,381 BVAS devices were physically inspected, with 5,277, representing 98 per cent, confirmed to be functional and ready for deployment.

He said the commission had notified its national headquarters about the faulty devices for necessary replacements.

Idris also disclosed that the display of the voter register for claims and objections took place across the state’s 23 local government areas between October 9 and 15, 2026.

The exercise generated 1,052 submissions, comprising 947 claims and 105 objections.

During the same period, 58,581 Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) were collected across the state. The figure included 9,139 old PVCs, 28,854 cards issued through the Continuous Voter Registration exercise, 12,707 transferred cards and 7,881 replacement cards.

The REC further disclosed that Benue received 101,695 PVCs from INEC headquarters under the first phase of the voter registration and transfer exercise.

The consignment comprised 54,724 newly issued cards and 46,971 cards for transferred voters.

He said previously issued PVCs remained available for collection at INEC offices across the 23 local government areas, adding that the commission would make a separate announcement regarding cards from the second and third phases of the registration exercise.

Idris also informed civil society organisations that the portal for submitting applications to observe the 2027 general elections had closed on October 26, 2026.

He urged organisations planning to deploy observers to work with their national headquarters to ensure that field personnel were properly uploaded and accredited and received the required identification cards and tags before election day.

The commission said its preparations were continuing across the state as it worked towards conducting the 2027 elections in accordance with the electoral timetable.