📌 Quick answer: 18 candidates are on INEC’s final list for the presidential election on Saturday, 16 January 2027. The best-known tickets are Bola Tinubu and Kashim Shettima (APC), Atiku Abubakar and Rotimi Amaechi (ADC), Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso (NDC), Seyi Makinde and Lawal Musa Daura (APM) and Sandy Onor and Babangida Umaru (PDP). The full list of all 18 parties, with every running mate and their ages as filed with INEC, is in the table below.
The 2027 ballot looks very different from 2023. Atiku Abubakar, the PDP’s candidate last time, is now running on the African Democratic Congress (ADC) platform. Peter Obi, who ran under the Labour Party in 2023, now heads the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) ticket, with Rabiu Kwankwaso, the NNPP’s 2023 candidate, as his running mate. The PDP has a new face in Sandy Ojang Onor, a former senator from Cross River State, and Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde is running under the Allied Peoples Movement (APM).
Below is every ticket exactly as INEC published it in its Final List of Candidates for the presidential election, signed by the commission’s Secretary, Rose Oriaran-Anthony. Names are written in the usual order (first name first); ages are as declared in the candidates’ nomination forms.
Full List: All 18 Presidential Candidates and Running Mates for 2027
| Party | Presidential candidate (age) | Running mate (age) |
|---|---|---|
| AA – Action Alliance | Rufai Adekunle Omo-Aje (71) | Shehu Hussaini (56) |
| AAC – African Action Congress | Omoyele Sowore (55) | Haruna Garba Magashi (49) |
| ADC – African Democratic Congress | Atiku Abubakar (79) | Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi (61) |
| ADP – Action Democratic Party | Abbas-Bin Aliyu (44) | Chinazam Ike (50) |
| APC – All Progressives Congress | Bola Ahmed Tinubu (74) | Kashim Shettima (59) |
| APM – Allied Peoples Movement | Oluseyi Abiodun Makinde (58) | Lawal Musa Daura (73) |
| APP – Action Peoples Party | Kabiru Yusuf (54) | Peace Egobia Ofordile (47) |
| BP – Boot Party | Sunday Adenuga (52) | Usman Turaki Mustapha (40) |
| DLA – Democratic Labour Alliance | Moses Olusoji Adebisi (35) | Nafisat Usaku Abubakar (35) |
| LP – Labour Party | Sunday Chibuzo Okereke (43) | Hajja Bintu Konto (54) |
| NDC – Nigeria Democratic Congress | Peter Gregory Obi (65) | Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso (69) |
| NDP – National Democratic Party | Ada Elizabeth Fredrick Okwori (48) | Uchenna Anthony Chukwuemeka (48) |
| NRM – National Rescue Movement | Nkem Esther Okereke (43) | Nasir Muhammed Sulaiman (35) |
| PDP – Peoples Democratic Party | Sandy Ojang Onor (60) | Babangida Umaru (61) |
| PRP – People’s Redemption Party | Donald Duke (64) | Kabiru Rabiu (80) |
| SDP – Social Democratic Party | Adewole Ebenezer Adebayo (54) | Usman Muhammed Bugaje (74) |
| YPP – Young Progressives Party | Peter Ada Agada (54) | Patience Ndidi Key (52) |
| ZLP – Zenith Labour Party | Daniel Daberechukwu Nwanyanwu (66) | Khalid Hassan (37) |
The Five Tickets Nigerians Are Searching For Most
APC: Bola Tinubu and Kashim Shettima
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, 74, is seeking a second and final term. His running mate is again Vice President Kashim Shettima, 59, a former governor of Borno State. It is the same ticket that won the February 2023 election, which makes it the only pairing on the 2027 ballot that has already contested a presidential election together.
ADC: Atiku Abubakar and Rotimi Amaechi
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, 79, is the oldest presidential candidate on the list. This is his first presidential run on the ADC platform after contesting under the PDP in 2019 and 2023. His running mate, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, 61, is a former governor of Rivers State and a former Minister of Transportation, and was himself an aspirant in the APC’s 2022 presidential primary.
NDC: Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso
Former Anambra State Governor Peter Gregory Obi, 65, came third in the 2023 presidential election under the Labour Party. For 2027 he leads the Nigeria Democratic Congress, and his running mate is former Kano State Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, 69, who finished fourth in 2023 as the NNPP candidate. Because the two candidates who finished third and fourth last time are now on one ticket, this is the pairing most searched for since the list came out. There is no NNPP presidential ticket on the final 2027 list.
APM: Seyi Makinde and Lawal Musa Daura
Oluseyi Abiodun “Seyi” Makinde, 58, is serving his second and final term as Governor of Oyo State, which ends on 29 May 2027. He is the candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement. INEC lists his running mate as Lawal Musa Daura, 73, who holds a bachelor’s degree from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, according to his INEC filing.
PDP: Sandy Onor and Babangida Umaru
The Peoples Democratic Party, the main opposition in 2023, is represented by Sandy Ojang Onor, 60, a holder of a doctorate according to his INEC form, with Babangida Umaru, 61, as his running mate. It is the first time since 1999 that the PDP’s presidential candidate is not a former president, vice president or governor.
What the 2027 Ballot Tells Us in Numbers
| Fact | Figure |
|---|---|
| Presidential candidates | 18 (all with a running mate, 36 names in total) |
| Women presidential candidates | 2 – Ada Elizabeth Fredrick Okwori (NDP) and Nkem Esther Okereke (NRM) |
| Women running mates | 4 – Peace Egobia Ofordile (APP), Nafisat Usaku Abubakar (DLA), Hajja Bintu Konto (LP), Patience Ndidi Key (YPP) |
| Youngest presidential candidate | Moses Olusoji Adebisi (DLA), 35 – the minimum age allowed by the Constitution |
| Oldest presidential candidate | Atiku Abubakar (ADC), 79 |
| Oldest person on any ticket | Kabiru Rabiu (PRP running mate), 80 |
| Average age of the 18 presidential candidates | About 57 |
| Candidates declared as persons with disability | None |
Six of the 36 names on the presidential ballot are women, one more than a sixth. Three people on the list are 35, the youngest age the Constitution allows: Moses Adebisi and Nafisat Abubakar of the DLA, and Nasir Muhammed Sulaiman, running mate on the NRM ticket.
Key Dates for the 2027 Presidential Election
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Presidential and National Assembly elections | Saturday, 16 January 2027 |
| Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections | Saturday, 6 February 2027 |
| End of campaigns | 24 hours before polling day, as the Electoral Act requires |
| Handover to the winner | 29 May 2027 |
For the timetable and what changed under the new electoral law, see our 2027 election date and timetable guide.
How a Candidate Wins the Presidency
Under Section 134 of the Constitution, a candidate is declared winner at the first ballot if he or she scores the highest number of votes and at least a quarter of the votes cast in at least two-thirds of the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory. If no candidate meets both conditions, a second election is held between the leading candidate and the candidate with the majority of votes in the highest number of states.
With 18 candidates and three or four strong tickets, the spread requirement matters as much as the total vote. That is why the parties are campaigning hard outside their strongholds.
Before You Vote: Three Things to Do Now
- Collect your PVC. Nationwide collection began on 9 October 2026 at INEC local government offices. Our guide explains how to check if your PVC is ready and where to collect it.
- Confirm your polling unit. Check your details on INEC’s voter portal so you know exactly where to vote on 16 January.
- Read the manifestos, not just the posters. Each party publishes its plans; compare what they say about prices, jobs, security and electricity before you decide.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many presidential candidates are there for 2027?
Eighteen. INEC’s final list has 18 parties fielding a presidential candidate, each with a running mate.
Who is Atiku’s running mate for 2027?
Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, former governor of Rivers State, is Atiku Abubakar’s running mate on the ADC ticket.
Who is Peter Obi’s running mate for 2027?
Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, former governor of Kano State, is Peter Obi’s running mate on the NDC ticket.
Is Peter Obi still in the Labour Party?
No. For 2027 Peter Obi is the candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC). The Labour Party’s candidate is Sunday Chibuzo Okereke.
Who is the PDP presidential candidate for 2027?
Sandy Ojang Onor, with Babangida Umaru as his running mate.
Who is the youngest presidential candidate?
Moses Olusoji Adebisi of the Democratic Labour Alliance (DLA), who is 35.
When is the 2027 presidential election?
Saturday, 16 January 2027, together with the National Assembly elections. Governorship and State Assembly elections follow on Saturday, 6 February 2027.
Sources
- Independent National Electoral Commission – Final List of Candidates, Presidential, Presidential and National Assembly Elections for January 2027 (signed by Rose Oriaran-Anthony, Secretary) – inecnigeria.org
- Independent National Electoral Commission – Election calendar, 2027 General Elections – inecnigeria.org
- Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), Sections 131 and 134
Last updated: 19 October 2026 · NaijaSabi Civic Desk. NaijaSabi does not endorse any candidate or party. If INEC changes the list, we will update this page.
0 Comments
No comments yet. Be the first to share your thoughts!