{
  "id": 7229784,
  "title": "Voters urged to scrutinise candidates as Tinubu, Atiku, Obi, others make final list",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/14/voters-urged-to-scrutinise-candidates-as-tinubu-atiku-obi-others-make",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-14T00:58:10.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Daily Trust",
    "slug": "daily-trust",
    "url": "https://dailytrust.com/voters-urged-to-scrutinise-candidates-as-tinubu-atiku-obi-others-make-final-list/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has released the final list of presidential candidates for the January 2027 general elections, urging Nigerians to carefully evaluate all contenders. The roster, signed by Secretary to the Commission Rose Oriaran-Anthony, includes 18 presidential candidates, their running mates, and the final lists for the Senate and House of Representatives. Among the male presidential candidates are President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the APC, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of the ADC, and Peter Obi of the NDC. The two female presidential candidates are Okwori Fredrick of the NDP and Dr. Esther Okereke of the NRM. In the running mates category, 14 are male and four are female. Political experts advise voters to prioritize a candidate's track record, competence, and integrity over factors such as party affiliation, age, or ethnicity. Dr. Emeka Ozoemena, a political scientist, stresses that the electorate should avoid making decisions based on sentiment, ethnicity, or religion. Prof. Bassey Ekefre, a political economist, raises concerns about the age of the leading candidates, noting that most are above 60 while young voters constitute a majority of the electorate. Despite this, Ekefre maintains that age should not override a candidate's capacity, emphasising the value of leadership experience. The representation of women in the contest also draws criticism, with Coalition for Credible Leadership convenor Adedoyin Fabikun lamenting that only two out of 18 candidates are female. The analysts conclude by urging INEC to maintain transparency and guarantee a level playing field, while calling on political parties to base their campaigns on substantive issues to help voters make informed decisions.",
  "summary": "Following the publication of the final list of presidential candidates for the January 2027 general elections by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), political analysts have urged Nigerians to critically scrutinise all contenders on the ballot. The final roster, signed by the Secretary to the Commission, Rose Oriaran-Anthony, was released over the weekend in Abuja. […]",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}