2027 Presidency: INEC Releases Final List of 18 Candidates, Tinubu, Atiku, Obi, Sowore Others Cleared

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has published the final list of presidential and vice-presidential candidates for Nigeria’s 2027 general election.

The list, released in Abuja on Saturday and signed by the Secretary to the Commission, Rose Oriaran-Anthony, contains 18 presidential candidates sponsored by 18 political parties.

The presidential election is scheduled to hold on Saturday, January 16, 2027, alongside elections into the National Assembly.

Among the prominent names on the list are incumbent President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), former Anambra State Governor Peter Gregory Obi of the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC), Oyo State Governor Oluseyi Abiodun Makinde of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), and African Action Congress (AAC) candidate Omoyele Sowore.

Former Cross River State Governor Donald Duke is also listed as the presidential candidate of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), while Sandy Ojang Onor is the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Full List of Presidential Candidates and Running Mates

1. Action Alliance (AA)
   Presidential candidate: Rufai Adekunle Omo-Aje
   Running mate: Shehu Hussaini

2. Action Democratic Party (ADP)
   Presidential candidate: Abbas-Bin Aliyu
   Running mate: Ike Chinazam

3. Allied Peoples Party (APP)
   Presidential candidate: Yusuf Kabiru
   Running mate: Ofordile Peace Egobia

4. African Action Congress (AAC)
   Presidential candidate: Omoyele Sowore
   Running mate: Haruna Garba Magashi

5. African Democratic Congress (ADC)
   Presidential candidate: Atiku Abubakar
   Running mate: Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi

6. All Progressives Congress (APC)
   Presidential candidate: Bola Ahmed Tinubu
   Running mate: Kashim Shettima

7. Allied Peoples Movement (APM)
   Presidential candidate: Oluseyi Abiodun Makinde
   Running mate: Musa Lawal Daura

8. Boot Party (BP)
   Presidential candidate: Sunday Adenuga
   Running mate: Mustapha Musa Turaki

9. Democratic Leadership Alliance (DLA)
   Presidential candidate: Moses Olusolu Adebisi
   Running mate: Nafisat Usaku Abubakar

10. Labour Party (LP)
    Presidential candidate: Sunday Chibuizu Okereke
    Running mate: Hajja Bintu Konto

11. National Democratic Party (NDP)
    Presidential candidate: Ada Elizabeth Frederick Okwori
    Running mate: Uchenna Anthony Chukwuemeka

12. National Rescue Movement (NRM)
    Presidential candidate: Nkem Esther Okereke
    Running mate: Nasir Muhammed Sulaiman

13. Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC)
    Presidential candidate: Peter Gregory Obi
    Running mate: Musa Mohammed Rabiu Kwankwaso

14. Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)
    Presidential candidate: Sandy Ojang Onor
    Running mate: Umaru Babadigida

15. Peoples Redemption Party (PRP)
    Presidential candidate: Donald Duke
    Running mate: Kabiru Rubbaku

16. Social Democratic Party (SDP)
    Presidential candidate: Adewole Ebenezer Adebayo
    Running mate: Usman Muhammed Bugaje

17. Young Progressive Party (YPP)
    Presidential candidate: Peter Ada Agada
    Running mate: Patience Ndidi Key

18. Zenith Labour Party (ZLP)
    Presidential candidate: Daniel Daberechukwu Nyawanwalu
    Running mate: Hassan Khalid

The INEC list shows that 16 of the 18 presidential candidates are male, while two are female — Ada Elizabeth Frederick Okwori of the NDP and Nkem Esther Okereke of the NRM. Four of the 18 vice-presidential candidates are female.

According to the published list, Atiku Abubakar, aged 79, is the oldest presidential candidate, while Moses Olusolu Adebisi of the DLA, aged 35, is the youngest.

The publication of the final list marks another major step in preparations for the 2027 presidential election, with the parties and their candidates now formally listed for the January 16 poll.