Just two of the 18 flag bearers on INEC’s are women, and none of the presidential or vice-presidential candidates declared any form of disability.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has published the final list of presidential candidates and their running mates for the 16 January 2027 general elections, featuring 18 political parties.
The list, signed by Secretary to the Commission Rose Oriaran-Anthony, was released on Saturday in Abuja, following the conclusion of party primaries held between 23 April and 30 May 2026.
Who’s on the ballot
President Bola Tinubu is seeking re-election on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), retaining Vice President Kashim Shettima as his running mate.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar is contesting under the African Democratic Congress (ADC) alongside former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi, while former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi is running under the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) with former Kano State Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso.
Other candidates include Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), paired with Musa Lawal Daura; Sunday Chibuzo Okereke of the Labour Party (LP), alongside Bintu Konto; Sandy Ojang Onor of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), running with Umaru Babangida; former Cross River State Governor Donald Duke of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), alongside Kabiru Rabiu; Omoyele Sowore of the African Action Congress (AAC), paired with Haruna Garba Magashi; and Adewole Ebenezer Adebayo of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), running with Usman Muhammed Bugaje.
The remaining candidates are Rufai Adekunle Omo-Aje (AA) with Shehu Hussaini; Abbas-Bin Aliyu (ADP) with Ike Chinazam; Yusuf Kabiru (APP) with Ofordile Peace Egobia; Sunday Adenuga (BP) with Mustapha Usman Turaki; Moses Olusoji Adebisi (DLA) with Nafisat Usaku Abubakar; Ada Elizabeth Fredrick Okwori (NDP) with Uchenna Anthony Chukwuemeka; Nkem Esther Okereke (NRM) with Nasir Muhammed Sulaiman; Peter Ada Agada (YPP) with Patience Ndidi Key; and Daniel Daberechukwu Nwanyanwu (ZLP) with Hassan Khalid.
Gender breakdown of the final list INEC released
Of the 18 presidential flag bearers, 16 are male (88.9 per cent) and two are female (11.1 per cent), Ada Elizabeth Fredrick Okwori of the NDP and Nkem Esther Okereke of the NRM.
Among the 18 vice-presidential candidates, 14 are male (77.8 per cent) and four are female (22.2 per cent): Ofordile Peace Egobia (APP), Nafisat Usaku Abubakar (DLA), Bintu Konto (LP), and Patience Ndidi Key (YPP). According to the document, none of the 18 presidential candidates or their running mates declared any form of disability.
Full list of candidates and qualifications
| # | Party | Presidential Candidate | Age | Qualification | Running Mate | Age | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | AA | Rufai Adekunle Omo-Aje | 71 | FSLC, WAEC | Shehu Hussaini | 56 | FSLC, GSS Yabo, FCE Zaria |
| 2 | ADP | Abbas-Bin Aliyu | 44 | FSLC, SSCE, BSc | Ike Chinazam | 50 | FSLC, SSCE, BNG |
| 3 | APP | Yusuf Kabiru | 54 | FSLC, SSCE, National Diploma | Ofordile Peace Egobia | 47 | SSCE |
| 4 | AAC | Omoyele Sowore | 55 | FSLC, WAEC, Master’s Degree | Haruna Garba Magashi | 49 | FSLC, WAEC, LLB |
| 5 | ADC | Atiku Abubakar | 79 | FSLC, WASC, MA (International Relations) | Rotimi Amaechi | 61 | FSLC, WAEC, BA English Studies |
| 6 | APC | Bola Ahmed Tinubu | 74 | BSc | Kashim Shettima | 59 | FSLC, GCE, BSc |
| 7 | APM | Seyi Abiodun Makinde | 58 | Bishop Philips Academy, Ibadan; University of Lagos, Akoka | Musa Lawal Daura | 73 | FSLC, GCE, BA (Hons), ABU Zaria |
| 8 | BP | Sunday Adenuga | 52 | FSLC, SSCE, Master’s | Mustapha Usman Turaki | 40 | FSLC, NABTEB Diploma |
| 9 | DLA | Moses Olusoji Adebisi | 35 | FSLC, SSCE, BSc | Nafisat Usaku Abubakar | 35 | FSLC, SSCE, BSc |
| 10 | LP | Sunday Chibuzo Okereke | 43 | FSLC, NABTEC, PhD, MLS (Distinction), MSc (Distinction), BSc (Hons) | Bintu Konto | 54 | FSLC, WAEC, MPH, BSc (Hons) Health Education, Certificate in General Nursing |
| 11 | NDP | Ada Elizabeth Fredrick Okwori | 48 | FSLC, SSCE, HND Accountancy | Uchenna Anthony Chukwuemeka | 48 | FSLC, SSCE, LLB |
| 12 | NRM | Nkem Esther Okereke | 43 | FSLC, SSCE, BSc, MSc, PhD | Nasir Muhammed Sulaiman | 35 | FSLC, SSCE |
| 13 | NDC | Peter Gregory Obi | 65 | St. Augustine’s Primary School, Anambra; Christ the King College (CKC); WASC; UNN; BA | Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso | 69 | FSLC, TTC Craft Training Cert., OND, HND, PGD, MSc, PhD |
| 14 | PDP | Sandy Ojang Onor | 60 | FSLC, WASC, PhD | Umaru Babangida | 61 | FSLC, WASC, Diploma |
| 15 | PRP | Donald Duke | 64 | FSLC, WASC, LLB | Kabiru Rabiu | 80 | FSLC, Grade II, BA |
| 16 | SDP | Adewole Ebenezer Adebayo | 54 | FSLC, WASCE, LLB | Usman Muhammed Bugaje | 74 | FSLC, SSCE, PhD |
| 17 | YPP | Peter Ada Agada | 54 | WAEC, BSc, MBA | Patience Ndidi Key | 52 | WAEC, BSc, MBA |
| 18 | ZLP | Daniel Daberechukwu Nwanyanwu | 66 | FSLC, WAEC, LLB, LLM | Hassan Khalid | — | — |
Source: INEC
INEC also released the final lists of candidates for the Senate and House of Representatives alongside the presidential slate.
