The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has released the final list of presidential candidates and their running mates for the 2027 general election, formally setting the stage for a contest involving 18 political parties.
The final list, signed by Rose Oriaran-Anthony, Secretary to the Commission, includes President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), and former Anambra State governor Peter Gregory Obi of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) among the leading contenders for the presidency.
The presidential election is scheduled for January 16, 2027, according to INEC’s electoral timetable.
Also on the ballot are Oyo State governor Oluseyi Abiodun Makinde of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), former Cross River State governor Donald Duke of the People’s Redemption Party (PRP), Social Democratic Party (SDP) candidate Adewole Ebenezer Adebayo and African Action Congress (AAC) candidate Omoyele Sowore.
The publication marks a major milestone in the 2027 electoral cycle, moving the presidential contest from the nomination and campaign phase into a definitive ballot configuration.
Political parties and their candidates now face the task of persuading voters in what is expected to be one of the most closely watched presidential elections since Nigeria’s return to democratic rule in 1999.
Full list of presidential candidates
INEC’s final list contains 18 presidential candidates representing 18 political parties.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is the APC presidential candidate, with Vice President Kashim Shettima as his running mate. Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar is contesting on the ADC platform, with former Rivers State governor and former transportation minister Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi as his running mate.
Peter Gregory Obi, the former Anambra State governor, is the presidential candidate of the NDC, with former Kano State governor Musa Mohammed Rabiu Kwankwaso as his running mate.
The Labour Party (LP) is fielding Sunday Chibuzo Okereke, whose running mate is Hajja Bintu Konto, while the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is represented by Sandy Ojang Onor with Umaru Babangida as running mate.
Rufai Adekunle Omo-Aje is the presidential candidate of the Action Alliance (AA), with Shehu Hussaini as his running mate. The Action Democratic Party (ADP) is fielding Aliyu Abbas-Bin, alongside Chinazam Ike.
Kabiru Yusuf is contesting for the presidency under the Allied Peoples Party (APP), with Peace Egobia Ofordile as his running mate. Omoyele Sowore is the AAC candidate, with Haruna Garba Magashi as his running mate.
Oluseyi Abiodun Makinde is the presidential candidate of the APM, with Musa Lawal Daura as his running mate. The Boot Party (BP) is represented by Sunday Adenuga, whose running mate is Usman Turaki Mustapha.
Moses Olusoji Adebisi is the presidential candidate of the Democratic Labour Alliance (DLA), with Nafisat Usaku Abubakar as his running mate. Ada Elizabeth Fredrick Okwori is contesting under the National Democratic Party (NDP), with Uchenna Anthony Chukwuemeka as her running mate.
Nkem Esther Okereke is the presidential candidate of the National Rescue Movement (NRM), with Nasir Muhammed Sulaiman as her running mate. Donald Duke is contesting under the PRP, with Kabiru Rabiu as his running mate.
Adewole Ebenezer Adebayo is the SDP presidential candidate, with Usman Muhammed Bugaje as his running mate. Peter Ada Agada is representing the Young Progressives Party (YPP), with Patience Ndidi Key as his running mate.
Completing the list is Daniel Daberechukwu Nwanyanwu of the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), whose running mate is Hassan Khalid.
Tinubu faces broad opposition field
President Tinubu is seeking a second term under the APC, while the opposition field is considerably fragmented, with several prominent political figures pursuing separate presidential platforms.
Atiku, who served as vice president from 1999 to 2007 and was the PDP’s presidential candidate in the 2023 election, is now running under the ADC platform with Amaechi as his running mate.
Obi, who finished third in the 2023 presidential election as the Labour Party candidate, is contesting under the NDC, with Kwankwaso as his running mate.
The emergence of the Atiku-Amaechi and Obi-Kwankwaso tickets adds considerable political weight to the opposition field, while Makinde’s candidacy introduces another prominent southern political figure into the race.
The fragmented nature of the field could become critical if opposition parties fail to consolidate their support behind a single challenger. The configuration of Tinubu, Atiku and Obi is likely to remain central to political calculations throughout the campaign.
Two women make final presidential ballot
The final list also highlights the persistent gender imbalance in Nigerian presidential politics.
Of the 18 presidential candidates, 16 are men and only two are women — Ada Elizabeth Fredrick Okwori of the NDP and Nkem Esther Okereke of the NRM.
Women are slightly better represented among the vice-presidential candidates, with four women appearing on the 18 tickets. They are Peace Egobia Ofordile of the APP, Nafisat Usaku Abubakar of the DLA, Hajja Bintu Konto of the Labour Party and Patience Ndidi Key of the YPP.
The figures underscore the continuing gap between women’s participation in Nigeria’s electorate and their representation at the highest levels of elective politics.
Candidates span wide range of ages and qualifications
INEC’s publication also provides personal particulars and educational information on the presidential and vice-presidential candidates.
According to the final list, the presidential candidates span a broad age range, while their educational qualifications range from First School Leaving Certificate and secondary-school qualifications to university degrees and doctorates.
The commission’s publication also indicates that none of the 18 presidential candidates or their running mates declared a disability.
The disclosure of candidates’ personal particulars is intended to give voters and the wider public an opportunity to scrutinise the credentials of those seeking the country’s highest elective office.
Election date fixed for January 16
The presidential and National Assembly elections will hold on January 16, 2027, while the governorship and state House of Assembly elections are scheduled for February 6.
INEC’s timetable had fixed September 12 as the date for publication of the final list of presidential and National Assembly candidates.
The publication therefore completes one of the key administrative stages preceding the presidential election.
Campaigning for the presidential and National Assembly elections officially commenced on August 19, with political parties expected to intensify nationwide mobilisation as the January poll approaches.
2027 contest enters decisive phase
With the final list now published, the political contest is expected to shift increasingly towards policy, economic performance, voter mobilisation and coalition-building.
For the ruling APC, the central challenge will be to convince voters that Tinubu’s administration deserves another four-year mandate.
For the opposition, the challenge is more complicated. Beyond presenting an alternative to the APC, opposition parties must contend with the fragmentation created by multiple presidential candidates competing for substantially overlapping pools of voters.
The 2027 contest will therefore be shaped by two simultaneous battles — the incumbent’s bid to retain power and the opposition’s attempt to translate dissatisfaction with the government into a single, electorally effective alternative.
Issues likely to dominate the campaign include the cost of living, inflation, unemployment, insecurity, naira stability, taxation, energy supply, economic reforms, corruption and the broader direction of federal economic policy.
The opposition is expected to focus heavily on governance and the social impact of the Tinubu administration’s reforms, while the APC will seek to defend its record and argue that its economic policies require more time to deliver their intended results.
With 18 presidential tickets officially cleared, the 2027 election has now entered its most consequential phase.
The months ahead will determine whether the incumbent can consolidate his position, whether the opposition can overcome its divisions, and ultimately whether Nigeria’s electorate opts for continuity or change on January 16, 2027.
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