The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has published the final list of candidates contesting the 2027 presidential and National Assembly elections.
The publication, released on Saturday, September 12, marks another major step in preparations for the January 16, 2027 elections.
INEC’s timetable had fixed September 12 for the publication of the final list of candidates for the presidential, Senate and House of Representatives elections.
Tinubu, Atiku, Obi, Others Make Final List
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is seeking re-election on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), with Vice President Kashim Shettima as his running mate.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar is contesting under the African Democratic Congress (ADC), with former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, as his running mate.
Former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi is also on the ballot, contesting under the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), with former Kano State Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso as his running mate.
Other prominent names on the final list include African Action Congress candidate Omoyele Sowore, former Cross River State Governor Donald Duke of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), Social Democratic Party candidate Adewole Adebayo and Allied Peoples Movement candidate Seyi Makinde.
19 Candidates In Presidential Race
The final list puts the number of presidential candidates at 19, with each candidate paired with a running mate.
The field includes candidates from parties such as the APC, ADC, NDC, PDP, AAC, PRP, NDP, YPP, AA, ZLP, LP, NRM, ADP, NNPP, SDP, APM and APP.
The list also includes female presidential candidates, among them Ada Elizabeth Frederick Okwori of the National Democratic Party and candidates representing other political parties.
National Assembly Candidates Also Published
Alongside the presidential candidates, INEC has released the final lists for candidates seeking election into the Senate and House of Representatives.
The publication gives voters and other stakeholders the opportunity to know the candidates who will appear on the ballot and the political parties under which they are contesting.
The final list follows the completion of the nomination, withdrawal and substitution processes by political parties.
Election Holds January 16
The presidential and National Assembly elections are scheduled to hold on January 16, 2027.
Under INEC’s revised timetable, campaigns for the presidential and National Assembly elections are expected to run until January 14, two days before polling.
The governorship and State House of Assembly elections according to INEC are scheduled for February 6, 2027, with their final candidate list expected to be published later in October.
With the final list now published, attention is expected to shift further towards the campaigns as political parties and their candidates intensify efforts to win the support of Nigerian voters ahead of the 2027 polls.
