2027: INEC publishes full list of 19 presidential candidates

On Wednesday, August 19, 2026, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) officially opened the presidential campaign ahead of the 2027 poll. The commission has now published the full list of 19 presidential candidates and their running mates, along with their personal particulars and credentials, for public scrutiny. This follows the announcement of the official election date, which is set for January 16, 2027, for both the presidential and National Assembly elections, and February 6, 2027, for the governorship and State House of Assembly elections.

The presidential race includes a diverse array of candidates representing various political parties. President Bola Tinubu, representing the All Progressives Congress (APC), stands alongside former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar from the African Democratic Congress (ADC). Other presidential contenders include Peter Obi, the former Anambra State Governor from the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Sandy Onor from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Omoyele Sowore from the African Action Congress (AAC), Donald Duke from the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), Adebayo Adewole from the Social Democratic Party (SDP), and Seyi Makinde from the Allied Peoples Movement (APM).

Beyond the presidential race, the 2027 elections will see a significant number of candidates vying for governorship positions, with a total of 127 candidates from 28 states and 18 political parties. The All Progressives Congress (APC) and the People's Democratic Party (PDP) lead with 28 candidates each, followed by the African Democratic Congress (ADC) with 21, the Labour Party with 16, and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) with nine.

Other parties, including the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), and Accord, have fewer candidates, ranging from three to six.