Nigeria’s 2027 presidential race has taken clearer shape, with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and former Anambra State governor Peter Obi among the 18 candidates published by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The commission’s final list also names the presidential running mates and provides details including candidates’ ages, gender and declared educational qualifications.
The document was signed by INEC Secretary Rose Oriaran-Anthony.
Tinubu, Atiku and Obi Lead the Field
Tinubu, listed at 74, is the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC). His running mate is Vice President Kashim Shettima, 59.
Atiku, 79, appears on the ballot for the African Democratic Congress (ADC), with former Rivers State governor Chibuike Amaechi, 61, as his running mate.
Obi, 65, is listed as the candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) and is paired with former Kano State governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, 69. INEC Lists Tinubu, Atiku, Obi Among 18 Presidential Candidates for 2027
The Obi-Kwankwaso ticket stands out as one of the most notable combinations on the list, bringing together two veteran political figures who have previously pursued the presidency separately.
Who Else Is Running?
Beyond the three major names, INEC’s list features candidates from a broad range of political parties.
Among them are:
- Omoyele Sowore, 55, of the African Action Congress (AAC), with Haruna Garba Magashi, 49.
- Donald Duke, 64, of the People’s Redemption Party (PRP), with Kabiru Rabiu, 80.
- Sandy Onor, 60, of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), with Umaru Babangida, 61.
- Adewole Adebayo, 54, of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), with Usman Muhammed Bugaje, 74.
- Abbas-Bin Aliyu, 44, of the Action Democratic Party (ADP), with Ike Chinazam, 50.
The remaining tickets include:
- Yusuf Kabiru, 54, of the Allied Peoples Party (APP), with Ofordile Peace Egobia, 47.
- Rufai Adekunle Omo-Aje, 71, of AA Nigeria, with Shehu Hussaini, 56.
- Makinde Oluseyi Abiodun, 58, of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), with Musa Lawal Daura, 73.
- Sunday Adenuga, 52, of the Boot Party (BP), with Mustapha Usman Turaki, 40.
- Moses Olusoji Adebisi, 35, of the Democratic Leadership Alliance (DLA), with Nafisat Usaku Abubakar, 35.
- Ada Elizabeth Fredrick Okwori, 48, of the New Nigeria Democratic Party (NDP), with Chukwuemeka Uchenna Anthony, 48.
- Nkem Esther Okereke, 43, of the National Rescue Movement (NRM), with Sulaiman Nasir Muhammed, 35.
- Peter Ada Agada, 54, of the Young Progressive Party (YPP), with Patience Ndidi Key, 52.
- Daniel Nwanyanwu, 66, of the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), with Khalid Hassan, 37.
What the Final List Signals
With the publication of the final candidates, the 2027 presidential contest now features 18 tickets, including three of the country’s most prominent political figures: Tinubu, Atiku and Obi.
The list also offers a snapshot of the candidates’ declared backgrounds.
INEC included educational qualifications alongside the candidates’ ages and other personal details, although the information is not presented uniformly.
For example, Tinubu’s educational qualification is recorded simply as “B.Sc.”, while some other candidates have several qualifications and institutions listed.
The publication marks another significant step toward the 2027 election, placing the competing presidential tickets formally before the electorate and setting the stage for what is shaping up to be a closely watched contest.
