The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has confirmed for the .
Some are household names, some are political veterans, and some will have you asking, 鈥淲ho gave this person my number?鈥
Before the campaign posters, rallies, and 鈥4+4鈥 arguments take over the country, we’ve compiled a list of the people asking Nigerians for the biggest political job in the country.
Bola Ahmed Tinubu 鈥 All Progressives Congress (APC)
The incumbent.
Tinubu has been president since 2023 and is back on the ballot seeking a second term.
Before becoming president, Tinubu had already spent decades in Nigerian politics. He was in 1992 on the platform of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), representing Lagos West, before becoming involved in the pro-democracy National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) following the annulment of the June 12, 1993 presidential election. He in 1994 during the General Sani Abacha military era and returned to Nigeria in 1998.
In 1999, he the Lagos governorship on the Alliance for Democracy (AD) platform and served two terms until 2007. After leaving office, he became a key figure in the creation of the Action Congress (AC), which later became the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN). In 2013, the ACN joined the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) and other groups the (APC), which went on to defeat the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2015 presidential election.
According to the credentials he submitted to INEC, he was born in 1952 and holds a BSc in Business Administration from Chicago State University, which he obtained in 1979.
He already has the job. Now he’s asking Nigerians to renew the subscription.
Atiku Abubakar 鈥 African Democratic Congress (ADC)
The serial contender.
Atiku is a former vice president and one of Nigeria’s most experienced presidential candidates.
He served as vice president from 1999 to 2007 under former President Olusegun Obasanjo, and has chased the presidency since the 1990s. He contested the SDP presidential primary in 1993, ran under the Action Congress (AC) in 2007, fought for the PDP ticket in 2011, contested the APC primary in 2015, and flew the PDP flag in 2019 and 2023.
For 2027, he is flying the flag, with former Minister of Transport and Governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi, as his running mate.
Peter Obi 鈥 Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC)
The man whose supporters have a name for themselves.
Obi was governor of Anambra State from 2006 to 2014, with his tenure briefly interrupted by by the courts. Before politics, he worked in banking and business.
He later Atiku Abubakar’s running mate on the PDP ticket in the 2019 presidential election before the party for the Labour Party in 2022.
His 2023 Labour Party (LP) campaign turned him into one of the biggest names in Nigerian politics, with the 鈥淥bidient鈥 movement becoming a major force online and offline.
In December 2025, Obi left the LP to the ADC. Their marriage didn’t last long as he the NDC in May 2026, saying he wanted to avoid the internal crisis and litigation the ADC was facing.
This time, he’s contesting under the , with the former governor of Kano State, Rabiu Kwankwaso, as his running mate.
Seyi Makinde 鈥 Allied People鈥檚 Movement (APM)
The engineer turned politician.
Before becoming governor, studied Electrical Engineering at the University of Lagos and graduated in 1990. He worked with Shell and other oil and gas companies before founding Makon Engineering and Technical Services in 1997, which grew into the Makon Group.
His first at elective office came before his governorship. He contested the Oyo South senatorial seat in 2007 and sought the PDP ticket for the same seat in 2011, but neither attempt resulted in a nomination or election victory. He later ran for Oyo State governor under the Social Democratic Party in 2015 but lost.
Makinde eventually secured the PDP’s governorship ticket and the Oyo State governorship in 2019. He was re-elected in 2023 and is now serving his second term.
For 2027, he’s seeking the presidency under the APM. From Agodi Government House to Aso Rock is quite a journey.
Sandy Onor 鈥 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)
The professor.
Onor is a former senator representing Cross River Central and a former governorship candidate in Cross River State.
His has stretched from local government to the state executive and federal legislature. He was chairman of Etung Local Government Area, served as a commissioner for Agriculture and later Environment in Cross River State, and represented Cross River Central in the Senate from 2019 to 2023.
He is also an academic, having studied History at the University of Calabar and obtained a PhD in History from the same institution.
In May 2022, he as the PDP’s candidate for the Cross River governorship and challenged the eventual winner, Bassey Otu, in the 2023 election, before the PDP’s 2027 presidential candidate by consensus in May 2026.
This time, he’s hoping his political CV can take him all the way to Aso Rock.
Omoyele Sowore 鈥 African Action Congress (AAC)
The activist.
Sowore is a journalist, activist and founder of .
His political activism dates back to his university days, when he participated in student protests at the University of Lagos. He later founded Sahara Reporters and became one of Nigeria’s most prominent government critics.
He the (AAC) in 2018 and ran for president under the party in both 2019 and 2023, and is now a third swing at the presidency. His political activism has also included the #RevolutionNow protests, for which he was by the State Security Service (SSS) in 2019.
His INEC credentials include a master’s degree in Public Administration from Columbia University and a BSc in Geography and Regional Planning from the University of Lagos.
Adewole Adebayo 鈥 Social Democratic Party (SDP)
The lawyer.
Adebayo is a lawyer and businessman who the ‘s presidential candidate in 2023. He’s back for under the same party.
His political agenda has included economic diversification, industrialisation, agriculture and constitutional reforms.
One thing is clear: he’s not new to this presidential business.
Donald Duke 鈥 Peoples Redemption Party (PDP)
The former governor seeking another shot.
Duke Cross River State from 1999 to 2007, winning two terms on the PDP platform. His administration became associated with tourism, urban development, investment and infrastructure in the state.
He later the presidency in 2019 under the Social Democratic Party, after leaving the PDP.
In January 2026, he Peter Obi to the ADC but departed shortly after to join the PRP, where he has now the party’s presidential ticket for another run at the presidency.
His INEC credentials show that he studied Law at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.
Ada Elizabeth Frederick Okwori 鈥 National Democratic Party (NDP)
A new name for many voters.
Okwori is the founder/promoter and chairman of the .
The party’s registration became part of her political story after INEC initially rejected its application. Okwori and the party challenged the decision in court, and the Federal High Court later INEC to register the party in a ruling on February 16, 2026.
Now, she’s that political project all the way to the presidential race.
Peter Agada 鈥 Young Progressives Party (YPP)
The architect.
Agada is an architect and businessman who has he wants to focus on production, grassroots development and getting young Nigerians into the economy.
He is also a former Labour Party presidential aspirant who the YPP in June 2026 after being disqualified from the Labour Party’s presidential primary.
Agada wasn’t initially the party’s choice for the 2027 presidential race. The YPP first Anita Zugwai-Chukwu as its presidential candidate in May 2026. She later withdrew from the race, citing security concerns and the public exposure she would face during the campaign.
The party subsequently held a substitution primary, which Agada won, making him its presidential candidate.
Rufai Adekunle Omoaje 鈥 Action Alliance (AA)
The comeback candidate.
Omoaje is the national chairman of the and a politician from Ede, Osun State.
He as the party’s presidential candidate through a consensus arrangement at its May 2026 convention. His campaign has focused on good governance, national unity, economic development and tackling insecurity.
His political journey has also included a turbulent period within the AA. On February 22, 2025, the party of the party over alleged misconduct and anti-party activities, before he returned to the centre of the party’s politics and emerged as its presidential candidate in 2026.
In other words, he’s not new to political drama.
Sunday Adenuga 鈥 Boot Party (BP)
The chairman going for a shot.
Adenuga is the national chairman of the and as its presidential candidate unopposed.
He has previously contested under the party and is now back for another shot.
His campaign has focused on insecurity, the cost of living and Nigerians’ access to basic needs.
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Moses Adebisi 鈥 Democratic Leadership Alliance (DLA)
The candidate with an international study tour.
Initially, Samuel Memeh, a lawyer and the national chairman of the newly registered , was as the DLA’s consensus presidential candidate after the party’s May 2026 primary.
However, after a substitution primary election, Moses Adebisi was the new presidential candidate of the party.
The party says its platform is built around competence, accountability, institutional reform, innovation and people-centred governance.
Adebisi his route to Aso Rock has involved a bit of international homework. He travelled to China, visiting Beijing and Shanghai to study the country鈥檚 economic reforms, especially the reforms that began in 1978.
He said he also looked to the United States to understand the political and economic ideas behind its 鈥渓iberty agenda.鈥
Daniel Nwanyanwu 鈥 Zenith Labour Party (ZLP)
The chairman.
Nwanyanwu the . He previously served as Labour Party chairman before for the ZLP.
He later became national chairman of the ZLP, where he has been a prominent figure for years. He also the presidency under the ZLP in 2023.
Now, he’s hoping his second attempt will take him all the way to Aso Rock.
Sunday Chibuzor Okereke 鈥 Labour Party (LP)
The researcher.
Okereke is a businessman and political figure who emerged as the ‘s presidential candidate in May 2026. He currently serves as the of ERGAF-AFRICA, a policy and legislative research institution.
He for credible elections and reforms in areas including education and healthcare.
Iken Esther Okereke 鈥 National Rescue Movement (NRM)
The candidate from Nollywood.
Esther Okereke is an actress and film producer who as the ‘s presidential candidate.
She also made history as the party’s first female presidential flag bearer.
Her campaign has focused on issues including security and the economy.
Okereke鈥檚 candidacy puts her in a rather unusual group of presidential hopefuls: entertainers attempting to move from the screen into the highest level of Nigerian politics.
So, Nollywood-to-Aso-Rock could officially be a storyline.
Abbas-Bin Aliyu 鈥 Action Democratic Party (ADP)
The youth ambassador.
Aliyu Abbas is the presidential candidate, having previously as a political aide to Atiku Abubakar and is also the founder of the .
On April 15, 2026, he the ADP. His campaign has focused on youth empowerment, inclusive governance and economic transformation.
Yusuf Kabiru 鈥 Action Peoples Party (APP)
Another new name for many voters.
Kabiru is the presidential candidate of the for the 2027 election.
INEC lists him as 54 years old, with a First School Leaving Certificate, Senior Secondary School Certificate and National Diploma among his declared qualifications. His is Peace Egobia Ofordile.
His name might not ring many bells just yet, but he’s still gunning for Aso Rock
And there you have it
18 candidates. One seat. And several months of campaign posters, rallies, promises and political gbas-gbos ahead.
Some of these people have been doing Nigerian politics for decades. Others are trying to introduce themselves to voters for the first time.
But before the jingles start playing everywhere and your WhatsApp status becomes a campaign office, there’s one thing Nigerians should do:
Know who’s asking for your vote. Because on , the ballot paper won’t care who had the loudest supporters online.
It will just ask you to choose.
