2027: INEC to Release Final List of Presidential, NASS Candidates September 12

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is expected to release the final list of candidates contesting the January 16, 2027 Presidential and National Assembly elections on Saturday, September 12, 2026.

Officials of the commission are currently fine tuning the list, The Nation gathered yesterday in Abuja.

Section 32(1) of the 2026 Electoral Act stipulates that the final list of candidates for an election be released at least 60 days to Election Day.

The commission had, last month, published the provisional list of 19 presidential candidates, their running mates and the particulars of each of them.

Released at the same time was the list of candidates for the election into the Senate and the House of Representatives.

The presidential and NASS elections are scheduled for the same day.

The window for substitution of candidates for the Presidential and National Assembly elections closed on Saturday, August 22, while the last day for the submission of nomination form (form EC 13A-E) closed on Saturday, August 29, 2026.

Publication of the candidates’ Form EC9 is a statutory requirement under Section 29(3) of the Electoral Act 2026, which mandates the commission to display the personal particulars of candidates after receiving their nomination forms.

On the provisional list of the presidential candidates were:

•Bola Tinubu – All Progressives Congress (APC)

•Atiku Abubakar – African Democratic Congress (ADC)

•Peter Obi – Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC)

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•Senator Sandy Onor– Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)

•Omoyele Sowore – African Action Congress (AAC)

•Donald Duke – Peoples Redemption Party (PRP)

•Okwori Ada Elizabeth Frederick – National Democratic Party (NDP)

•Chukwu Anita Zugwai – Young Progressives Party (YPP)

•Rufai Adekunle Omoaje – Action Alliance (AA)

•Adenuga Sunday – Boot Party

•Memeh Samuel – Democratic Liberty Alliance (DLA)

•Nwanyanwu Daniel Danerechukwu – Zenith Labour Party (ZLP)

•Okereke Sunday Chibuzor – Labour Party (LP)

•Okereke Iken Esther – National Rescue Movement (NRM)

•Abbas-Bin Aliyu – Action Democratic Party (ADP)

•Dikwa Suleiman Mohammed – New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP)

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•Adebayo Adewole Ebenezer – Social Democratic Party (SDP)

•Seyi Makinde – Allied Peoples Movement (APM)

•Yusuf Kabiru – Action Peoples Party (APP)

Vice-presidential candidates

•Kashim Shettima (APC)

•Rotimi Amaechi (ADC)

•Rabiu Kwankwaso (NDC)

•Shehu Hussaini (AA)

•Egbeola Olawale Mertins (YPP)

•Ike Chinazam (ADP)

•Mustapha Usman Turaki (Boot Party)

•Balogun Alex (DLA)

•Chikwuemeka Uchenna Anthony (NDP)

•Magashi Haruna Garba (AAC)

•Umaru Babangida (PDP)

•Konto Hajja Bintu (LP)

•Hassan Khalid (ZLP)

•Samuel Magdalene Gali (NRM)

•Abubakar Isah (NNPP)

•Buba Musa (PRP)

•Bugaje Usman Mohammed (SDP)

•Ibrahim Adamu Bala (APM)

•Ofordile Peace Egobia (APP)