INEC Releases Tinubu, Atiku, Obi, 16 Others’ Presidential Candidacy Details
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has published the personal particulars and credentials of all 19 candidates contesting Nigeria’s 2027 presidential election, in compliance with the country’s Electoral Act ahead of the January 16, 2027 poll.
The publication, released on Saturday, includes documents for the three leading contenders: President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), and former Anambra State governor Peter Obi of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC). The particulars of their running mates were also displayed, including Vice President Kashim Shettima, former Rivers State governor Rotimi Amaechi, and Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.
Under Section 29(3) of the Electoral Act, 2026, INEC is required to publish the personal particulars of candidates within 21 days of receiving them from political parties, allowing members of the public to scrutinise the documents and challenge any nomination where there is evidence of false information or forged credentials. The documents, contained in Form EC9 and accompanying sworn affidavits, include each candidate’s full name, gender, residential address, educational qualifications, occupation, and work history.
Sixteen other candidates also made the tentative list, including Senator Sandy Onor of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Omoyele Sowore of the African Action Congress (AAC), Donald Duke of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), and several lesser-known contenders representing smaller political parties.
Notably absent from the published list was former President Goodluck Jonathan, who had been nominated by a faction of the PDP led by Tanimu Turaki. Also missing was the name of Gbenga Olawopo Hashim, who had claimed to be the candidate of the Accord Party, even though the party had earlier stated it had no presidential candidate after none of its aspirants met the requirements.
According to his published documents, President Tinubu listed a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Chicago State University in the United States, the same institution cited by Peter Obi, Donald Duke, and Omoyele Sowore in their own submissions. Tinubu’s records also indicated his date of birth as March 29, 1952, his place of birth as Lagos, and Mobil Nigeria Limited as his employer between 1983 and 1992, prior to his entry into politics and subsequent tenure as Governor of Lagos State from 1999 to 2007. Some reports noted that his published particulars, as in previous elections, did not include details of his primary and secondary school education, listing only his university qualification.
All candidate documents have been uploaded to INEC’s nomination portal and are also on display at the commission’s offices across the country’s local government headquarters, in line with the electoral body’s revised timetable for the 2027 general election. With party primaries and nominations now concluded, attention is shifting toward the official commencement of campaign season, expected to begin on August 19.
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