ABUJA, Nigeria – The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has officially published the final list of cleared presidential candidates and their vice-presidential running mates for the upcoming 2027 general election, confirming 18 political parties on the national ballot, the electoral umpire announced in Abuja on Saturday, September 12, 2026.
The publication, displayed across the commission’s state headquarters and the Federal Capital Territory office, was formally signed by the Secretary to the Commission, Rose Oriaran-Anthony, in accordance with the statutory requirements of the Electoral Act, formally setting the stage for the presidential election scheduled to take place on January 16, 2027.
Okay News reports that the final roster features incumbent President Bola Ahmed Tinubu seeking a second term under the All Progressives Congress, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar contesting under the African Democratic Congress banner, former Anambra State Governor Peter Gregory Obi running on the National Democratic Congress platform, and former Cross River Central Senator Sandy Ojang Onor flying the flag of the Peoples Democratic Party.
The commission’s statutory documentation indicates that the cleared candidates range in age from 35 to 80, with educational qualifications spanning secondary school certificates, national diplomas, university degrees, and doctorates, with two female presidential candidates and four female vice-presidential running mates cleared to contest.
Below is the complete list of the 18 cleared political parties and their presidential candidates for the 2027 election, arranged in alphabetical order by party name:
1. Action Alliance (AA) – Rufai Adekunle Omo-Aje (Running mate: Shehu Hussaini)
2. Action Democratic Party (ADP) – Aliyu Abbas-Bin (Running mate: Chinazam Ike)
3. Action Peoples Party (APP) – Kabiru Yusuf (Running mate: Peace Egobia Ofordile)
4. African Action Congress (AAC) – Omoyele Sowore (Running mate: Haruna Garba Magashi)
5. African Democratic Congress (ADC) – Atiku Abubakar (Running mate: Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi)
6. All Progressives Congress (APC) – Bola Ahmed Tinubu (Running mate: Kashim Shettima)
7. Allied Peoples Movement (APM) – Oluseyi Abiodun Makinde (Running mate: Musa Lawal Daura)
8. Boot Party (BP) – Sunday Adenuga (Running mate: Usman Turaki Mustapha)
9. Democratic Leaders Alliance (DLA) – Moses Olusoji Adebisi (Running mate: Nafisat Usaku Abubakar)
10. Labour Party (LP) – Sunday Chibuzo Okereke (Running mate: Hajja Bintu Konto)
11. National Democratic Congress (NDC) – Peter Gregory Obi (Running mate: Musa Mohammed Rabiu Kwankwaso)
12. National Democratic Party (NDP) – Ada Elizabeth Fredrick Okwori (Running mate: Uchenna Anthony Chukwuemeka)
13. National Rescue Movement (NRM) – Nkem Esther Okereke (Running mate: Nasir Muhammed Sulaiman)
14. Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) – Sandy Ojang Onor (Running mate: Umaru Babangida)
15. Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) – Donald Duke (Running mate: Kabiru Rabiu)
16. Social Democratic Party (SDP) – Adewole Ebenezer Adebayo (Running mate: Usman Muhammed Bugaje)
17. Young Progressives Party (YPP) – Peter Ada Agada (Running mate: Patience Ndidi Key)
18. Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) – Daniel Daberechukwu Nwanyanwu (Running mate: Hassan Khalid)
Under the provisions of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), to be declared winner in the first round of balloting, a candidate must secure a plurality of the overall national votes cast, alongside at least 25 percent of the votes in no fewer than 24 of the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
With the final candidate list validated, the Commission noted that nationwide public campaigning by registered political parties will commence in accordance with the official electoral timetable as the nation prepares for the general election cycle.
