By NJORIGE LYNUS

18 Presidential Tickets, Two Women: INEC Sets the Stage for Nigeria’s 2027 Election

Nigeria’s 2027 Presidential Field Takes Shape

THE Independent National Electoral Commission has formally published the final list of presidential candidates and running mates for Nigeria’s January 2027 general elections.

The list contains 18 presidential candidates from 18 political parties.

It includes some of Nigeria’s most recognisable political figures, alongside candidates from smaller parties seeking to break into the national political space.

The commission released the list in Abuja on Saturday. INEC Secretary Rose Oriaran-Anthony signed the document.

The publication represents a major milestone in the countdown to the presidential election scheduled for 16 January 2027.

Tinubu, Atiku & Obi Take Centre Stage

President Bola Tinubu will defend the APC presidential ticket.

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar will contest under the African Democratic Congress.

Peter Obi, who finished prominently in the 2023 presidential election, will contest under the Nigeria Democratic Congress.

Their presence gives the 2027 election three nationally prominent figures around whom much of the political debate is likely to revolve.

Yet the official list shows that the contest extends well beyond them.

A Broad Field of 18 Candidates

The presidential field includes candidates from established parties and smaller political organisations.

Rufai Adekunle Omo-Aje is listed for the Action Alliance, while Abbas-Bin Aliyu represents the Action Democratic Party.

Yusuf Kabiru is the Accord Progressives Party candidate, while Omoyele Sowore represents the African Action Congress.

Atiku represents the ADC and Tinubu the APC.

Oluseyi Makinde is listed for the Allied People’s Movement, while Adenuga Sunday is the Boot Party candidate.

Moses Adebisi Olusoji represents the Democratic Leadership Alliance.

The Labour Party is represented by Sunday Chibuzo Okereke.

Okwori Ada Elizabeth Fredrick represents the National Democratic Party, while Nkem Esther Okereke represents the National Rescue Movement.

Peter Obi is the NDC candidate, while Sandy Onor represents the Peoples Democratic Party.

Donald Duke is the PRP candidate, Adewole Adebayo represents the SDP, Peter Ada Agada represents the YPP, and Daniel Daberechukwu Nwanyanwu is the Zenith Labour Party candidate.

Gender Gap Remains Visible

One of the clearest features of the list is the continued gender imbalance at the highest level of electoral politics.

Only two women secured presidential nominations among the 18 candidates.

Fredrick of the NDP and Esther Okereke of the NRM represent 11.1 per cent of the presidential field.

Men account for the remaining 88.9 per cent.

The vice-presidential list offers a slightly better picture.

Four women will serve as running mates on four tickets.

They are Ofordile Egobia of the APP, Usaku Abubakar of the DLA, Bintu Konto of the Labour Party and Patience Ndidi of the YPP.

Even so, women account for only 22.2 per cent of the 18 running-mate positions.

The figures underline the continuing challenge of achieving greater female representation in Nigeria’s electoral politics.

The Tickets & Their Political Weight

The presidential tickets vary considerably in political strength and national visibility.

Tinubu and Shettima are seeking to retain power for the APC.

Atiku and Amaechi are campaigning under the ADC banner.

Obi and Kwankwaso are the NDC ticket.

Other parties have also paired their presidential candidates with running mates in an effort to create broader regional and political appeal.

The success of these tickets will depend on more than the prominence of individual candidates.

Party structures, campaign financing, regional support, voter mobilisation and public perception will all influence the outcome.

An Election Beyond the Presidency

The presidential election will take place alongside National Assembly elections.

INEC has also published the final candidate lists for the Senate and House of Representatives.

Those contests will matter because the next administration will need legislative support to advance its policy agenda.

The composition of the National Assembly could therefore become as consequential as the presidential result.

A president with strong legislative backing could find it easier to pass major reforms. A divided legislature could produce a more difficult political environment.

Legal Disputes Have Already Shaped the Race

The 2027 electoral process has not been free of legal disputes.

Earlier in the year, a Federal High Court nullified parts of INEC’s timetable relating to party primaries, candidate nominations and other pre-election activities.

The ruling questioned the commission’s authority to impose some deadlines that were not expressly provided for in the Electoral Act 2026.

The dispute highlighted the legal complexity surrounding Nigeria’s electoral process.

It also showed that the 2027 contest would develop within an evolving legal and institutional environment.

From Nomination Battles to Voter Choice

With the final presidential list now published, the focus can shift more decisively toward voters.

Candidates must convince Nigerians that they have credible solutions to the country’s economic, security and governance challenges.

They must also distinguish themselves from their rivals in an increasingly crowded political field.

For the three biggest names, the stakes are especially high.

Tinubu will seek to retain the presidency.

Atiku will attempt another comeback at the highest level.

Obi will seek to build on the political momentum generated by his previous presidential campaign.

Meanwhile, the other candidates will look for opportunities to upset the established political order or influence the wider electoral debate.

What the Final List Means for 2027

INEC’s publication does more than name candidates.

It gives Nigerians a clearer picture of the political choices that will appear on the presidential ballot.

The list also confirms that the election will feature a mixture of incumbency, opposition politics, emerging movements and smaller-party candidates.

At the same time, the gender figures show that Nigeria still has a long way to go in achieving balanced representation at the presidential level.

The campaign season will now become increasingly important.

Candidates will have to move beyond party nominations and political alliances to convince voters.

And as January 16, 2027 approaches, the central question will become increasingly direct:

Which of these 18 tickets can build the coalition strong enough to win Nigeria’s presidency?