The battle for Nigeria’s 109 Senate seats has entered a fresh phase following the release of the final list of candidates for the 2027 general elections by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
With the publication of the list, political parties and their candidates now have a clearer picture of the contenders for the February 2027 legislative elections, setting the stage for fierce contests across the country.
The race has attracted an array of political heavyweights, including serving senators, former lawmakers, governors nearing the end of their tenure, former governors and newcomers seeking to influence the composition of the next National Assembly.
The final list is also expected to intensify political mobilisation as the parties begin to focus their campaigns on securing the 109 seats in the Senate.
Among the prominent names in the race are former Delta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, who is contesting the Delta North seat on the platform of the All Progressives Congress; former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello, who is seeking the Kogi Central seat on the APC platform; and former Plateau State Governor Simon Lalong, who is contesting Plateau South.
Other governors on the list include Adamawa State Governor Ahmadu Fintiri, who is listed to contest Adamawa North on the APC platform; Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed, contesting Bauchi South on the Allied People’s Movement platform; Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma, contesting Imo West on the APC platform; Gombe State Governor Inuwa Yahaya, contesting Gombe North; Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, contesting Kwara Central; Nasarawa State Governor Abdullahi Sule, contesting Nasarawa North; Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun, contesting Ogun East; and Yobe State Governor Mai Mala Buni, contesting Yobe East.
The final list also features several serving senators seeking another term, while others are facing stiff challenges from candidates of rival political parties.
In Akwa Ibom North-West, Senate President Godswill Akpabio is listed as the APC candidate, while Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin is seeking another term in Kano North.
Former Senate President Ahmed Lawan is listed to contest Yobe North on the APC platform, while former Senate President Bukola Saraki is not among the candidates listed in the supplied lineup.
In Delta North, Okowa will face candidates from the African Democratic Congress, Nigeria Democratic Congress and Peoples Democratic Party, making the district one of the closely watched contests.
The Delta Central race will also attract attention, with incumbent Senator Ede Dafinone of the APC facing former Deputy Senate President Ovie Omo-Agege of the NDC among other candidates.
In Edo North, former governor and incumbent senator Adams Oshiomhole is seeking another term on the APC platform.
The Federal Capital Territory is also set for a keen contest, with former senator Philip Aduda listed as the APC candidate against incumbent Senator Ireti Kingibe of the ADC, alongside candidates of the NDC and PDP.
In Abia South, incumbent Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe is listed on the Labour Party platform, while the APC, ADC, NDC and PDP have also fielded candidates.
The Kaduna contests are also expected to attract considerable attention, with former governor Nasir El-Rufai absent from the supplied candidate lineup but several prominent political figures listed across the three senatorial districts.
In Kano North, Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin will face candidates from the ADC, NDC and PDP, while Kano Central and Kano South also feature multi-party contests.
In Lagos, incumbent senators are among those seeking another term, with the APC, ADC, NDC and PDP fielding candidates across Lagos Central, East and West.
The race is similarly crowded in Rivers State, where the three senatorial districts feature candidates from the APC, ADC, NDC and PDP.
Former Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson is also listed as the NDC candidate for Bayelsa West, setting up another high-profile contest.
In Zamfara West, former governor Abdul’aziz Yari is contesting on the APC platform, while other parties have fielded candidates against him.
The final list covers contests across the six geopolitical zones, with most districts featuring candidates from the major political parties and several emerging platforms.
The publication of the list means candidates and parties can now intensify their mobilisation and campaign strategies as the 2027 elections draw closer.
Beyond party strength, the Senate contests are expected to be shaped by incumbency, political alliances, the popularity of individual candidates, regional calculations and the performance of the various parties at the presidential and governorship levels.
The 2027 Senate election is expected to be particularly significant as the outcome will determine the political balance of the next National Assembly and potentially influence the legislative direction of the next administration.
With governors, former governors, serving senators, former lawmakers and political newcomers in the race, the contest for the 109 seats promises to be one of the most fiercely fought legislative battles ahead of the 2027 general elections.
