2027 Election: Presidential Candidates Now Official as Campaign Season Nears.
Nigeria’s 2027 presidential election is entering a more defined phase as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has published the final list of presidential candidates and their running mates.
The publication gives Nigerians a clearer picture of the political field ahead of the presidential and National Assembly elections scheduled for January 16, 2027. According to the published list, 18 presidential candidates are participating in the race under different political parties.
The development marks an important stage in the preparations for an election that is expected to attract intense political attention across Nigeria.
The 2027 Presidential Contest Is Now More Clearly Defined
For months, political discussions surrounding the 2027 election have focused on possible candidates, party movements, alliances and attempts by major political figures to build national support.
The publication of INEC's final list has moved the contest from a period dominated by speculation and political positioning into a more formal electoral phase.
Among the candidates listed are President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Peter Obi of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), and Oyo State Governor Oluseyi Makinde of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM).
Other candidates include Omoyele Sowore of the African Action Congress, Donald Duke of the Peoples Redemption Party, Adewole Adebayo of the Social Democratic Party and several other presidential contenders.
Full List of Presidential Candidates
INEC's published list contains candidates from 18 political parties.
They are:
1. Rufai Adekunle Omo-Aje — Action Alliance (AA)
2. Abbas-Bin Aliyu — Action Democratic Party (ADP)
3. Yusuf Kabiru — Allied Peoples Party (APP)
4. Omoyele Sowore — African Action Congress (AAC)
5. Atiku Abubakar — African Democratic Congress (ADC)
6. Bola Ahmed Tinubu — All Progressives Congress (APC)
7. Oluseyi Makinde — Allied Peoples Movement (APM)
8. Sunday Adenuga — Boot Party (BP)
9. Moses Olusoji Adebisi — Democratic Labour Alliance (DLA)
10. Sunday Chibuzo Okereke — Labour Party (LP)
11. Ada Elizabeth Frederick Okwori — National Democratic Party (NDP)
12. Nkem Esther Okereke — National Rescue Movement (NRM)
13. Peter Obi — Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC)
14. Sandy Ojang Onor — Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)
15. Donald Duke — Peoples Redemption Party (PRP)
16. Adewole Adebayo — Social Democratic Party (SDP)
17. Peter Agada — Young Progressive Party (YPP)
18. Daniel Daberechukwu Nwanyanwu — Zenith Labour Party (ZLP).
The list also identifies the respective running mates for each presidential candidate.
Tinubu Seeks Another Mandate
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is listed as the APC presidential candidate, with Vice-President Kashim Shettima as his running mate.
The 2027 election therefore places the incumbent administration directly at the centre of the presidential contest.
Issues surrounding the administration's economic policies, reforms, infrastructure programmes, security, employment, cost of living and other areas of governance are expected to remain important subjects of political debate during the campaign period.
Atiku Returns to the Presidential Contest
Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar is contesting under the African Democratic Congress.
The INEC list identifies Rotimi Amaechi as his running mate.
Atiku's participation adds another nationally recognised political figure to the 2027 contest and gives the election another major opposition campaign structure to follow.
Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso Form Another Major Ticket
Former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi is listed as the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress.
His running mate is Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, the former Kano State governor.
Their ticket brings together two politicians with established political bases and national recognition, making their campaign one of the developments attracting attention as the election approaches.
Seyi Makinde Also Enters the Race
Oyo State Governor Oluseyi Makinde is listed as the presidential candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement.
His inclusion means the 2027 presidential field contains another sitting state governor seeking the nation's highest elected office.
Makinde's candidacy adds another dimension to discussions about the role of governors, regional political networks and state-level political experience in the presidential contest.
The PDP Has Its Own Presidential Candidate
The Peoples Democratic Party is represented on INEC's final list by Sandy Ojang Onor.
This is significant because the PDP remains one of Nigeria's established national political parties, while several prominent politicians who previously operated within or around the party are now contesting under other political platforms.
The development illustrates the changing party alignments ahead of the 2027 election.
Two Women Appear on the Presidential List
INEC's published list contains 18 presidential candidates, including two women.
They are Ada Elizabeth Frederick Okwori of the National Democratic Party and Nkem Esther Okereke of the National Rescue Movement.
The list therefore provides a snapshot of gender representation among the presidential candidates for the 2027 election.
Four women are also listed among the vice-presidential candidates.
Why the Final Candidate List Matters
The publication of the final list is important for several reasons.
1. The field is officially clearer
Political speculation can now be separated from the candidates formally published by INEC.
2. Campaign strategies can become more defined
Candidates and political parties can focus increasingly on presenting their programmes, communicating their records and engaging voters.
3. Alliances remain an important subject
With multiple presidential candidates representing different political parties, questions surrounding cooperation, political alliances and campaign structures are likely to remain part of public discussion.
4. Voters have a clearer choice of candidates
The final list gives voters information about the people officially participating in the presidential contest.
What Nigerians Will Be Watching
As the election approaches, several issues are likely to dominate political conversations.
Economy and cost of living
Economic conditions are expected to remain an important campaign issue, particularly household purchasing power, inflation, employment and business conditions.
Security
Security remains an important national issue, with voters likely to pay attention to the candidates' approaches to addressing insecurity and strengthening national institutions.
Jobs and opportunities for young Nigerians
Nigeria has a large young population, making employment, entrepreneurship, education and skills development significant areas of political discussion.
Infrastructure
Roads, electricity, transportation, digital infrastructure, housing and other public infrastructure are likely to feature prominently in campaign programmes.
Governance and accountability
Questions about transparency, public spending, institutional effectiveness and accountability are also likely to feature in political debates.
Electoral credibility
The conduct of the election itself will remain an important issue, including voter participation, electoral technology, logistics and the ability of institutions to deliver a credible process.
January 16, 2027: The Date to Remember
According to INEC's electoral timetable, the presidential and National Assembly elections are scheduled for Saturday, January 16, 2027.
The governorship and State House of Assembly elections are scheduled for February 6, 2027.
That means the presidential contest will take place before the governorship and state assembly elections.
What Happens Next?
With the presidential candidate list published, attention will increasingly shift toward the campaign phase.
Political parties will have to communicate their programmes, organise campaign structures, mobilise supporters and present their candidates to voters across the country.
For voters, the coming months provide an opportunity to examine the candidates' backgrounds, public records, policy proposals and positions on issues that directly affect their communities and the country.
Rather than focusing only on campaign slogans, voters can look at concrete proposals and available evidence when assessing what each candidate says about Nigeria's future.
A Crowded Presidential Field
The 2027 presidential election is shaping up as a contest involving established political figures, sitting and former public officials and candidates representing a wide range of political parties.
The presence of 18 presidential candidates means the election will feature a broad field rather than a simple two-candidate contest.
The major political storylines will likely continue to develop as campaigns intensify, political parties negotiate relationships and candidates explain how they intend to address Nigeria's economic, security and governance challenges.
Final Takeaway
Nigeria's 2027 presidential race has entered a more clearly defined stage.
INEC's publication of the final list has formally identified the candidates who will appear in the presidential contest, including Bola Tinubu, Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, Seyi Makinde and 14 other candidates.
With January 16, 2027 set for the presidential election, attention will now increasingly turn toward campaign programmes, public debates, voter engagement and the issues candidates put before Nigerians.
For the electorate, the months ahead will provide an opportunity to examine the candidates, their records and their proposed policies before making individual voting decisions.
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