INEC releases final list of 18 presidential candidates for 2027 election

By Angel Ene

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has released the final list of candidates for the 2027 Presidential and National Assembly elections, with 18 political parties fielding presidential and vice-presidential candidates.

The list, signed by the Secretary to the Commission, Rose Oriaran-Anthony, contains the names, ages, qualifications and other particulars of the presidential and vice-presidential candidates cleared to contest the election scheduled for January 2027.

The ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, is fielding incumbent President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, 74, as its presidential candidate, with Vice President Kashim Shettima, 59, as his running mate.

The African Democratic Congress, ADC, is presenting former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, 79, with former Rivers State governor and ex-Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, 61, as his running mate.

Also on the list is Peter Gregory Obi, 65, of the National Democratic Congress, NDC, who is paired with former Kano State governor, Musa Mohammed Rabiu Kwankwaso, 69.

The Labour Party, LP, is fielding Sunday Chibuzo Okereke, 43, alongside Hajja Bintu Konto, 54, while the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, is presenting Sandy Ojang Onor, 60, with Umaru Babangida, 61, as his running mate.

Other presidential candidates listed by INEC are Rufai Adekunle Omo-Aje of the Action Alliance, AA, with Shehu Hussaini; Aliyu Abbas-Bin of the Action Democratic Party, ADP, with Chinazam Ike; and Kabiru Yusuf of the Allied Peoples Party, APP, with Peace Egobia Ofordile.

The African Action Congress, AAC, is fielding Omoyele Sowore, alongside Haruna Garba Magashi, while the Allied Peoples Movement, APM, is presenting Oluseyi Abiodun Makinde with Musa Lawal Daura.

Sunday Adenuga is the presidential candidate of the Boot Party, BP, with Usman Turaki Mustapha as his running mate.

Others are Moses Olusoji Adebisi of the Democratic Labour Alliance, DLA, paired with Nafisat Usaku Abubakar; Ada Elizabeth Fredrick Okwori of the National Democratic Party, NDP, with Uchenna Anthony Chukwuemeka; and Nkem Esther Okereke of the National Rescue Movement, NRM, with Nasir Muhammed Sulaiman.

The list further contains Donald Duke of the Peoples Redemption Party, PRP, with Kabiru Rabiu; Adewole Ebenezer Adebayo of the Social Democratic Party, SDP, with Usman Muhammed Bugaje; Peter Ada Agada of the Young Progressives Party, YPP, with Patience Ndidi Key; and Daniel Daberechukwu Nwanyanwu of the Zenith Labour Party, ZLP, with Hassan Khalid.

The INEC document also showed that two of the 18 presidential candidates are women — Ada Elizabeth Fredrick Okwori of the NDP and Nkem Esther Okereke of the NRM.

Four women also appear among the vice-presidential candidates, although none of the 18 presidential candidates or their running mates declared any form of disability in the particulars contained in the document.

The candidates' ages range from 35 to 80, while their educational qualifications vary from First School Leaving Certificate, West African Examinations Council, WAEC, and National Business and Technical Examinations Board, NABTEB, certificates to university degrees.

The list also includes candidates with doctorate degrees among both the presidential and vice-presidential contenders.

The publication of the final list marks a major step towards the 2027 general elections, as the political parties and their candidates prepare for the campaigns and the January polls.