The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) published the 2027 presidential candidates list on Saturday, starting public scrutiny of 19 political contenders.
The INEC posted Form EC9 documents for all cleared candidates and their running mates at its headquarters and state offices.
The publication fulfills a legal mandate under Section 29(3) of the Electoral Act 2026. The law requires the commission to display candidate credentials shortly after receiving nomination papers.
Voters and political parties now have a statutory window to examine educational records, age declarations, and affidavits submitted by those seeking the nation’s top office.
Official campaign activities will start on August 19.
Key contenders and new party alliances
Incumbent President Bola Tinubu headlines the list for the governing All Progressives Congress (APC), retaining Vice President Kashim Shettima as his running mate.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar appears on the ticket of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), having chosen former Transportation Minister Rotimi Amaechi as his deputy candidate.
Peter Obi, the former governor of Anambra State, enters the race under the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) banner alongside former Kano State governor Rabiu Kwankwaso.
Other cleared flagbearers include Senator Sandy Onor for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Omoyele Sowore for the African Action Congress (AAC), and Donald Duke representing the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP).
Notable exclusions include former President Goodluck Jonathan and Gbenga Olawepo Hashim, whose respective party factions failed to meet nomination deadlines.
2027 Presidential Candidates Full List
High-Stakes Public Vetting Ahead of Campaign Kick-Off
The public display of candidate records places background verification at the centre of Nigeria’s political debate ahead of the August campaign launch.
Transparency requirements in the Electoral Act 2026 aim to prevent prolonged post-election legal battles over candidate eligibility. In previous election cycles, credential disputes dragged through tribunals for months after voting ended.
By making academic certificates and age affidavits available early, the commission shifts the burden of verification to the electorate and rival campaigns before ballots are cast.
Academic records under public scrutiny
Details released in Tinubu’s Form EC9 show he was born on March 29, 1952. He recorded a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Chicago State University in 1979 and completed national service in November 1983. His submission omitted primary and secondary school information.
Vice President Shettima listed primary schooling in Maiduguri, a West African School Certificate from Government Secondary School, Potiskum, and an Agricultural Economics master’s degree from the University of Ibadan.
Atiku Abubakar submitted a First School Leaving Certificate from 1954, a West African School Certificate from 1961, and a Master’s degree in International Relations from Anglia Ruskin University, awarded in 2020.
His running mate, Rotimi Amaechi, holds a degree in English Literature from the University of Port Harcourt, alongside law qualifications from Baze University, the Nigerian Law School, and King’s College London.
Peter Obi documented attendance at St. Augustine’s Primary School and Christ the King College, followed by a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, in 1984.
Rabiu Kwankwaso submitted a Higher Diploma in Civil Engineering from Kaduna Polytechnic, completed in 1980, alongside his national service completion certificate from 1981.
Donald Duke recorded a law degree from Ahmadu Bello University, while Omoyele Sowore submitted a master’s degree in public administration from Columbia University in New York.
