INEC has formally published the personal particulars and academic qualifications of all 19 presidential candidates and their running mates for the 2027 general election, clearing the way for campaigns to begin on August 19.
The commission released the Form EC9 documents, which contain each candidate's date of birth, educational history, and other biographical details. The publication allows members of the public and eligible persons to examine exactly what the candidates submitted.
Legal backing under the Electoral Act
This move complies with Section 29(3) of the Electoral Act 2026, which requires INEC to display candidate information after receiving nomination forms. The exercise is designed to promote transparency and enable voters to scrutinise the credentials of those seeking the presidency.
The lineup includes President Bola Tinubu, who will run on the All Progressives Congress (APC) ticket with Vice President Kashim Shettima as running mate. Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar is the African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate, with former Transportation Minister Rotimi Amaechi as his vice-presidential pick.
Peter Obi, former Anambra State governor, represents the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), and Rabiu Kwankwaso, former Kano State governor, is his running mate. Other candidates include Senator Sandy Onor (Peoples Democratic Party), Omoyele Sowore (African Action Congress), Donald Duke (Peoples Redemption Party), and Seyi Makinde (Allied Peoples Movement).
Academic and personal details published
President Tinubu's Form EC9 records his date of birth as March 29, 1952, and shows a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Chicago State University, obtained in 1979. His submission includes an NYSC record but contains no information on his primary or secondary schooling.
Atiku Abubakar's records indicate he received his First School Leaving Certificate in 1954 and his West African School Certificate in 1961. He later obtained a Master's degree in International Relations from Anglia Ruskin University in 2020.
Rotimi Amaechi, born May 27, 1965, in Ubima, Rivers State, declared a Bachelor of Arts in English Studies and Literature from the University of Port Harcourt, obtained in 1987. He also listed further qualifications from Baze University, the Nigerian Law School, and King's College London.
Peter Obi attended Christ the King College and earned his West African School Certificate in 1978, followed by a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, in 1984. Rabiu Kwankwaso, born October 21, 1956, declared a Higher Diploma in Civil Engineering from Kaduna Polytechnic, completed in 1980.
Omoyele Sowore's documents include a Master's degree in Public Administration from Columbia University in New York, while Donald Duke submitted a law degree from Ahmadu Bello University.
Notable absentees from the list
Former President Goodluck Jonathan, who had reportedly been nominated by a faction of the PDP led by Tanimu Turaki, does not appear on the INEC list. Gbenga Olawepo Hashim, who had laid claim to the Accord Party presidential ticket, is also missing. The Accord Party had previously announced it would not field a presidential candidate, saying none of its aspirants met the nomination deadline.
INEC had earlier rejected Jonathan's nomination form when it was physically delivered by the PDP faction. Victoria Eta-Messi, the commission's Director of Voter Education and Publicity, confirmed the rejection, stating, "The commission only accepts candidate nominations through its official electronic portal."
With the release of these credentials, voters now have the opportunity to assess the backgrounds of all 19 contenders before the official campaign period starts on August 19. The publication marks a critical step in the electoral process for the 2027 general election.
