2027 Presidency: INEC Releases Final List, Tinubu, Atiku, Obi, 15 Others To Contest

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has released the final list of presidential candidates and their running mates for the January 2027 general elections, with 18 political parties fielding candidates for the presidency.

The list, signed by the Secretary to the Commission, Rose Oriaran-Anthony, was released on Saturday in Abuja, according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

Among the prominent presidential candidates on the list are incumbent President Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), and Peter Obi of the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC).

Other male candidates listed by INEC include 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 commission also listed two female presidential candidates — Okwori Fredrick of the National Democratic Party (NDP) and Dr Esther Okereke of the National Redemption Party (NRP).

According to the final list, male candidates account for 16 of the 18 presidential candidates, representing 88.9 per cent, while female candidates make up the remaining 11.1 per cent.

The gender distribution among the vice-presidential candidates is slightly less pronounced, with 14 men, representing 77.8 per cent, and four women, accounting for 22.2 per cent.

The female running mates listed by INEC are Ofordile Egobia of the Allied Peoples Party (APP), Abubakar Usaku of the Democratic Leadership Alliance (DLA), Konto Bintu of the Labour Party and Patience Ndidi of the Young Progressive Party (YPP).

The publication of the final list formally confirms the candidates and running mates who will participate in the 2027 presidential election under the political parties covered by the commission’s release.

The election is expected to generate intense political activity across the country, with Tinubu, Atiku and Obi among the major political figures already drawing significant attention ahead of the polls.

INEC also released the final lists of candidates for the Senate and House of Representatives elections as part of its preparations for the 2027 general elections.