INEC names 18 presidential candidates for January 16, 2027 election
By Aboki Forex —
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has released the final list of presidential candidates and their running mates for the 2027 general election, setting up a contest involving 18 political parties.
The list was signed by Rose Oriaran-Anthony, Secretary to the Commission. The presidential election is scheduled for January 16, 2027, according to INEC's electoral timetable.
Tinubu, Atiku, Obi lead the field
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, with Vice President Kashim Shettima as his running mate. He is seeking a second term.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar is contesting on the African Democratic Congress (ADC) platform, with former Rivers State governor and former transportation minister Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi as his running mate. Atiku served as vice president from 1999 to 2007 and was the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate in the 2023 election.
Former Anambra State governor Peter Gregory Obi is the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), with former Kano State governor Musa Mohammed Rabiu Kwankwaso as his running mate. Obi finished third in the 2023 presidential election as the Labour Party candidate.
Oyo State governor Oluseyi Abiodun Makinde is on the ballot for the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), with Musa Lawal Daura as his running mate. Former Cross River State governor Donald Duke is contesting under the People's Redemption Party (PRP), with Kabiru Rabiu as his running mate.
Social Democratic Party (SDP) candidate Adewole Ebenezer Adebayo has Usman Muhammed Bugaje as his running mate, while African Action Congress (AAC) candidate Omoyele Sowore is paired with Haruna Garba Magashi.
Full list of the 18 tickets
The Labour Party (LP) is fielding Sunday Chibuzo Okereke, whose running mate is Hajja Bintu Konto. The PDP is represented by Sandy Ojang Onor with Umaru Babangida as running mate.
Rufai Adekunle Omo-Aje is the Action Alliance (AA) candidate, with Shehu Hussaini as his running mate. The Action Democratic Party (ADP) is fielding Aliyu Abbas-Bin, alongside Chinazam Ike.
Kabiru Yusuf is contesting under the Allied Peoples Party (APP), with Peace Egobia Ofordile 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 Democratic Labour Alliance (DLA) candidate, 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 National Rescue Movement (NRM) candidate, with Nasir Muhammed Sulaiman as her running mate. Peter Ada Agada is representing the Young Progressives Party (YPP), with Patience Ndidi Key as his running mate. Daniel Daberechukwu Nwanyanwu of the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) has Hassan Khalid as his running mate.
Two women on the presidential ballot
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.
A fragmented opposition field
The opposition field is considerably fragmented, with several prominent political figures pursuing separate presidential platforms. The emergence of the Atiku-Amaechi and Obi-Kwankwaso tickets adds political weight to that field, while Makinde's candidacy introduces another prominent southern figure into the race.
The fragmentation 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.
INEC's publication moves the presidential contest from the nomination and campaign phase into a definitive ballot configuration, in what is expected to be one of the most closely watched presidential elections since Nigeria's return to democratic rule in 1999.