The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is set to publish the final list of candidates contesting the 2027 presidential and National Assembly elections on September 12, 2026.
The final list will cover candidates for the presidential, Senate and House of Representatives elections scheduled to take place on January 16, 2027.
According to reports, officials of the electoral commission are currently putting finishing touches to the list ahead of its scheduled publication.
The development is in accordance with Section 32(1) of the Electoral Act 2026, which requires INEC to publish the final list of candidates at least 60 days before the date of an election.
INEC had previously released a provisional list containing 19 presidential candidates, their running mates and other relevant details.
The commission also published provisional lists for candidates contesting seats in the National Assembly, comprising the Senate and House of Representatives.
Candidate Substitution Deadline
Political parties were given until August 22, 2026, to complete the substitution of candidates for the presidential and National Assembly elections.
The deadline for submitting the required nomination forms, including Form EC 13A-E, was subsequently fixed for August 29.
With those deadlines now elapsed, INEC is expected to publish the final list after completing the necessary verification and administrative processes.
The publication of candidates’ personal particulars is also required under Section 29(3) of the Electoral Act 2026. The provision requires the electoral commission to make candidates’ relevant information available for public scrutiny.
Major Parties Prepare for 2027
The 2027 presidential race is expected to feature candidates from several political parties, including the All Progressives Congress (APC), African Democratic Congress (ADC), Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and other parties.
Among the presidential candidates on the provisional list are incumbent President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the APC, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of the ADC, former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi of the NDC, PDP candidate Sandy Onor, and African Action Congress candidate Omoyele Sowore.
The National Assembly contest will also be significant, with parties seeking to secure representation across the country’s 109 senatorial districts and 360 federal constituencies.
Reports indicate that the APC, PDP and ADC are expected to field candidates across all 469 National Assembly seats, while the NDC is expected to contest all 109 Senate seats and 219 House of Representatives constituencies.
Final List to Clarify Candidate Disputes
The publication of the final list is also expected to provide greater clarity on some disputes surrounding party nominations and candidate substitutions.
Some politicians have already approached the courts to challenge the replacement of candidates who claim to have emerged victorious from their respective party primaries.
One notable case involves former Benue North East Senator Gabriel Suswam, who is challenging the APC’s decision to replace him with Senator Emmanuel Udende as its candidate for the 2027 election.
As political parties intensify preparations for the elections, the final INEC list will provide voters with an official record of the candidates cleared to contest the presidential and National Assembly polls.
The September 12 publication is therefore expected to be an important milestone in the countdown to the 2027 general elections.
