The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has released the final list of candidates for the January 16, 2027 presidential and National Assembly elections, with 4,878 candidates cleared to contest.
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Of the total, 18 candidates are seeking the presidency, while 4,860 others are contesting the 109 Senate and 360 House of Representatives seats.
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The All Progressives Congress (APC) has the highest number of National Assembly candidates, with 469 candidates across the Senate and House of Representatives. The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has 430 candidates, while the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has 405.
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has 327 candidates, while the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) is fielding 335 candidates for the federal legislative elections.
President Bola Tinubu, who is seeking a second term with Vice President Kashim Shettima, appears on the final presidential list alongside ADC candidate Atiku Abubakar and NDC candidate Peter Obi.
The final list contains two female presidential candidates: Ada Elizabeth Fredrick Okwori of the National Democratic Party (NDP) and Nkem Esther Okereke of the National Rescue Movement (NRM). Four parties, including the Young Progressive Party (YPP), Labour Party (LP), Democratic Leadership Alliance (DLA) and Action Peoples Party (APP), have female vice-presidential candidates.
The New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), however, has no presidential candidate on the final list. Its provisional candidate, Dikwa Suleiman Mohammed, and running mate, Abubakar Isa, were omitted from the final publication without an explanation from INEC.
The Democratic Leadership Alliance and YPP also changed their presidential and vice-presidential candidates. The NRM, APM and Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) changed their running mates.
Three parties, Accord, All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and Youth Party, have no presidential candidate because they did not nominate one before the close of the nomination period.
The presidential candidates range in age from 35 to 79, with Atiku Abubakar listed as the oldest candidate.
Among the major presidential contenders, the final list includes Tinubu and Shettima for APC; Atiku Abubakar and Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi for ADC; Peter Obi and Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso for NDC; and Sandy Ojang Onor and Umaru Babangida for PDP.
Several prominent political figures were also cleared to contest National Assembly elections. Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin, House Speaker Tajudeen Abbas and Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu are among the APC candidates seeking fresh terms.
Serving governors AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara, Dapo Abiodun of Ogun, Hope Uzodimma of Imo, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe, Mai Mala Buni of Yobe and Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa are also contesting Senate seats.
Several former governors are equally seeking seats in the Senate, including Orji Uzor Kalu, Ifeanyi Okowa, Adams Oshiomhole, Mukhtar Ramalan Yero, Ibrahim Shekarau, Adamu Aliero, Yahaya Bello, Abubakar Sani-Bello, Simon Lalong, Aliyu Wamakko, Abdullahi Yari and former Lagos Deputy Governor Idiat Adebule.
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Long-serving senator Ali Ndume and former senator Shehu Sani are also on the final ballot.
Two APC National Working Committee members, Isaacs Kekemeke and Salihu Mustapha, were cleared for the Senate elections. Other notable candidates include Yemi Adaramodu, Mohammed Sani Musa, Paul Ikonne, Musa Abdulaziz Yar’Adua and Philip Tanimu Aduda.
About 190 serving members of the House of Representatives and 54 senators received the APC’s backing to seek another term.
However, some senior lawmakers will not return to the House after losing their primaries, choosing other political contests or failing to appear on the final candidate list.
The candidate figures vary widely across the states. Kano has 49 senatorial candidates, the highest among the states listed, followed by Bayelsa and Imo with 45 each. Ekiti has the lowest number, with 19 candidates for its three Senate seats.
For House of Representatives elections, Kano again records the highest number, with 251 candidates, followed by Kaduna with 151, Oyo with 151, Lagos with 184, Imo with 140 and Rivers with 146.
In Oyo State, 189 candidates from 17 political parties are contesting the 17 federal legislative seats, comprising 38 candidates for three Senate seats and 151 candidates for 14 House of Representatives constituencies.
In Delta State, 43 candidates are contesting the three Senate seats, while 116 are vying for House of Representatives positions. Former governor Ifeanyi Okowa is contesting Delta North under the APC, while former Deputy Senate President Ovie Omo-Agege is running for Delta Central on the NDC platform.
The list also contains several other serving and former lawmakers, including Ndudi Elumelu, Erhiatake Ibori-Suenu, Jonathan Ukodhiko, Beneth Osanebi, Francis Waive, Julius Pondi and Thomas Ereyitomi.
In Kwara, Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq and Senator Salihu Mustapha will face each other in the Kwara Central senatorial contest under different parties. AbdulRazaq is representing the APC, while Mustapha is listed under the PDP.
The Federal Capital Territory has 58 candidates contesting its three National Assembly seats, including 20 candidates for the sole Senate seat. Current senator Ireti Kingibe is contesting under the ADC, while former senator Philip Aduda is the APC candidate.
In Osun State, 120 candidates are contesting the nine National Assembly seats, comprising 39 senatorial candidates and 81 House of Representatives candidates.
The final list also shows that the NDC is absent from 10 senatorial districts. The affected districts are Bauchi South, Bauchi Central, Bauchi North, Benue North East, Ekiti South, Jigawa North East, Kaduna South, Katsina Central, Yobe East and Yobe North.
With the final list now released, the presidential and National Assembly contests have entered the final phase ahead of the January 16, 2027 elections.
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