INEC Approves Tinubu, Atiku, Obi, 2 Women, 13 Others For 2027 Presidential Election
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has published the final list of presidential candidates and their running mates approved to contest the January 2027 general elections.
The commission also released the final list of candidates for the Senate and the House of Representatives.
Signed by the Secretary to the Commission, Rose Oriaran-Anthony, the list was released on Saturday in Abuja.
It featured candidates sponsored by 18 political parties competing for the office.
Of the 18 presidential flag bearers, 16 are male, representing 88.9 per cent, while two are female.
The list contains 18 presidential candidates and their running mates across various political parties and was signed by the INEC Secretary, Rose Oriaran-Anthony.
Among those on the list are President Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Oyo State Governor Oluseyi Makinde of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Sandy Ojang Onor of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and former Cross River State Governor Donald Duke of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP).
Other presidential candidates are Rufai Adekunle Omo-Aje of the Action Alliance (AA), Abbas-Bin Aliyu of the Action Democratic Party (ADP), Yusuf Kabiru of the Action Peoples Party (APP), Omoyele Sowore of the African Action Congress (AAC), Sunday Adenuga of the Boot Party (BP), Adebisi Olusoji of the Democratic Labour Alliance (DLA), Sunday Okereke of the Labour Party (LP), Adewole Adebayo of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Peter Agada of the Young Progressive Party (YPP), and Nwanyanwu Daberechukwu of the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP).
The list also features two female presidential candidates, Ada Elizabeth Frederick Okwori of the National Democratic Party (NDP) and Nkem Esther Okereke of the National Rescue Movement (NRM).
Four women are listed as vice-presidential candidates. They are Peace Egobia of the APP, Nafisat Usaku of the DLA, Hajja Konto of the LP and Patience Key of the YPP.
The published list shows that the presidential candidates are aged between 35 and 79, while the vice-presidential candidates range from 35 to 80. According to the list 79 is the oldest presidential candidate on the list, followed by 74.
INEC’s publication follows the conclusion of political party primaries conducted between April 23 and May 30, 2026.
The 2027 presidential and National Assembly elections are scheduled for Saturday, January 16, 2027, while the governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections will hold on February 6, 2027.
Earlier in February this year, INEC released a revised timetable for the 2027 General Elections, fixing the presidential and National Assembly polls for Saturday, January 16, 2027, a forward move from February 20, 2027, earlier announced.
Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections were moved from March 6 to February 6, 2027.
The revised timetable came two weeks after the electoral umpire had earlier set dates for the conduct of the 2027 general elections.
INEC said the revision followed the repeal of the Electoral Act, 2022, and the enactment of the Electoral Act, 2026, which updated timelines for pre-election activities.
