INEC publishes final list of 18 presidential candidates for 2027 election

ABUJA — The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has published the final list of presidential candidates and their running mates for Nigeria’s January 2027 general elections.

The list, signed by the secretary to the commission, Rose Oriaran-Anthony, was released on Saturday in Abuja. It names candidates from 18 political parties contesting the presidency.

Of the 18 presidential flag bearers, 16 are men, or 88.9 per cent of the field. Two are women, accounting for 11.1 per cent.

The male contenders include President Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abubakar Atiku of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and Peter Obi of the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC).

Also listed are Adewole Adebayo of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Oluseyi Makinde of the Allied People’s Movement (APM), Donald Duke of the People’s Redemption Party (PRP), Chibuzor Okereke of the Labour Party (LP) and Omoyele Sowore of the African Action Congress (AAC).

The two female presidential candidates are Okwori Fredrick of the National Democratic Party (NDP) and Dr Esther Okereke of the National Redemption Party (NRM).

Among vice-presidential candidates, 14 running mates are men (77.8 per cent) and four are women (22.2 per cent). The female running mates named by INEC are Ofordile Egobia of the APP, Abubakar Usaku of the DLA, Konto Bintu of the LP and Patience Ndidi of the YPP.

INEC also released the final lists of candidates for the Senate and the House of Representatives.

The January 2027 polls will decide Nigeria’s next president and National Assembly members. The publication of the final presidential list confirms the official field after party primaries and the commission’s screening process.

By John James