INEC final presidential candidates list: Tinubu, Peter Obi, 16 others
By: Abudu Olalekan
The race for Aso Rock is already getting real.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has released the final list of presidential candidates and their running mates for the 2027 general elections, Reportersroom has learnt.
On Saturday in Abuja, the commission’s Secretary, Rose Oriaran-Anthony, signed and published that list. In all, 18 political parties are in the race to try to occupy Nigeria’s number one seat.
Looking at the presidential contenders, 16 out of the 18 are men. Just two are women.
Some of the big names were not really a surprise. There’s Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Peter Obi of the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC), and Abubakar Atiku of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
Then a few others like Adewole Adebayo of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Oluseyi Makinde of the Allied People’s Movement (APM), Donald Duke of the People’s Redemption Party (PRP), Chibuzor Okereke of the Labour Party (LP) and Omoyele Sowore of the African Action Congress (AAC).
The only two women vying for president are Okwori Fredrick of the National Democratic Party (NDP) and Dr. Esther Okereke of the National Redemption Party (NRM).
For the vice-presidential race, it’s not so different. Of the 18 running mates, 14 are men, while just four of them are women. Those four are Ofordile Egobia (APP), Abubakar Usaku (DLA), Konto Bintu (LP) and Patience Ndidi (YPP).
INEC didn’t just stop at the presidency though. It also released the final list of candidates for the Senate and the House of Representatives, as the build up to 2027 continues.
Olalekan A. Abudu is a seasoned and dedicated News Journalist at REPORTERS ROOM, with over eight years of experience. He specializes in politics, climate change, health, and education, while also covering security, economic, and judicial issues. Committed to accuracy and balanced reporting, Olalekan exemplifies the principles of public-interest journalism.
