By Ekuson Nw’Ogbunka in Abuja
The 2027 presidential contest has moved a major step closer to the electorate, with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) releasing the final list of 18 presidential candidates and their running mates. Beyond the familiar names of Bola Tinubu, Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi and other prominent contenders, the list reveals a crowded political field, a modest increase in female representation and the possibility of another fiercely contested election.
The list, signed by INEC Secretary, Rose Oriaran-Anthony, and released in Abuja on Saturday, formally places 18 political parties and their presidential tickets in the race for the January 2027 general elections.
At the centre of the contest is incumbent President Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who is seeking another term. His ticket with Vice-President Kashim Shettima places the ruling party at the heart of a contest in which the performance of the administration, its economic policies and its political alliances are likely to become major campaign issues.
The opposition field, meanwhile, is populated by several nationally recognised political figures. Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar is the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), while former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi is flying the flag of the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC). Both candidates enter the race with established political followings and could become major factors in determining the direction of the opposition vote.
The Social Democratic Party (SDP) candidate, Adewole Ebenezer Adebayo, former Anambra State Governor Oluseyi Abiodun Makinde of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), former Delta State Governor Donald Duke of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), and African Action Congress (AAC) candidate Omoyele Sowore are also among the names that will compete for the presidency.
Other contenders include Sandy Ojang Onor of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Rufai Adekunle Omo-Aje of the Action Alliance (AA), Aliyu Abbas-Bin of the Action Democratic Party (ADP), Kabiru Yusuf of the Allied Peoples Party (APP), Sunday Adenuga of the Boot Party, Moses Olusoji Adebisi of the Democratic Leadership Alliance (DLA), Nkem Esther Okereke of the National Rescue Movement (NRM), Daniel Daberechukwu Nwanyanwu of the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), and Peter Ada Agada of the Young Progressive Party (YPP).
One striking feature of the list is the gender imbalance. While 18 presidential candidates are on the ballot, the list includes only two women, Ada Elizabeth Fredrick Okwori of the National Democratic Party (NDP) and Nkem Esther Okereke of the NRM. The figures underline the continuing challenge of achieving stronger female participation at the highest level of Nigerian electoral politics.
The vice-presidential list presents a slightly broader female presence, with four women among the 18 running mates. They are Peace Egobia Ofordile of the APP, Nafisat Usaku Abubakar of the DLA, Hajja Bintu Konto of the Labour Party and Patience Ndidi Key of the YPP.
Beyond the personalities, the size of the field raises a fundamental question: will the 2027 election become a straight contest among a few major political forces, or will the multiplicity of candidates significantly fragment the national vote? The answer could depend heavily on alliances, regional mobilisation, party structures and the ability of individual candidates to convert popularity into nationwide electoral strength.
The final list also means that the political parties and their candidates can now turn their attention more decisively to the electorate. Campaign messages, manifestos, debates, grassroots mobilisation and coalition-building are expected to shape the months ahead.
With the major parties presenting their tickets, the 2027 presidential election is already taking the form of a contest not merely for Aso Rock, but for the political direction of Nigeria. The final outcome will ultimately depend on which candidate succeeds in convincing Nigerians that his or her ticket offers the most credible response to the country’s economic, security, social and governance challenges.
