By Ajibola Olaide, JKNewsMedia Reporter
PERSONAL PARTICULARS and credentials of 19 presidential candidates and their running mates for the 2027 general election have been published by the Independent National Electoral Commission, paving the way for presidential campaigns scheduled to begin on August 19.
JKNewsMedia.com reports that INEC described the publication of the candidates’ Form EC9 fulfils as a statutory requirement under Section 29(3) of the Electoral Act 2026, which mandates the commission to display candidates’ personal particulars after receiving their nomination forms.
INEC also said the process allows members of the public and eligible persons to scrutinise the information submitted by the candidates.
The list displayed by the Commission on Saturday shows President Bola Tinubu as the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), with Vice President Kashim Shettima as his running mate.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar emerged as the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and selected former Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi as his running mate.
Former Anambra State governor Peter Obi is the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), with former Kano State governor Rabiu Kwankwaso nominated as his vice-presidential candidate.
Other presidential candidates listed by the commission include 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), Okwori Ada Elizabeth Frederick of the National Democratic Party (NDP) and Chukwu Anita Zugwai of the Young Progressives Party (YPP).
The list also includes Rufai Adekunle Omoaje of the Action Alliance (AA), Adenuga Sunday of the Boot Party (BP), Memeh Samuel of the Democratic Liberty Alliance (DLA), Nwanyanwu Daniel Danerechukwu of the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), Okereke Sunday Chibuzor of the Labour Party (LP) and Okereke Iken Esther of the National Rescue Movement (NRM).
Also listed are Abbas Bin Aliyu of the Action Democratic Party (ADP), Dikwa Suleiman Mohammed of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Adebayo Adewole Ebenezer of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Seyi Makinde of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), and Yusuf Kabiru of the Action Peoples Party (APP).
The vice-presidential candidates listed alongside them include Shehu Hussaini for the AA, Egbeola Olawale Mertins for the YPP, Ike Chinazam for the ADP, Mustapha Usman Turaki for the BP and Balogun Alex for the DLA.
Others are Chikwuemeka Uchenna Anthony for the NDP, Magashi Haruna Garba for the AAC, Umaru Babangida for the PDP, Konto Hajja Bintu for the LP, Hassan Khalid for the ZLP and Samuel Magdalene Gali for the NRM.
The list further contains Abubakar Isah for the NNP, Buba Musa for the PRP, Bugaje Usman Mohammed for the SDP, Ibrahim Adamu Bala for the APM and Ofordile Peace Egobia for the APP.
JKNewsMedia.com also reports that INEC’s published documents contain educational qualifications, dates of birth, occupations and other personal information submitted by the candidates ahead of the August 19 commencement of presidential campaigns.
Tinubu stated in his documents that he was born on March 29, 1952, and obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Chicago State University in 1979.
He also disclosed that he participated in the National Youth Service Corps between December 1982 and November 1983. The documents did not contain information on his primary and secondary school education.
Shettima indicated that he attended Lamisula I Primary School between 1972 and 1978 before obtaining his West African School Certificate from Government Secondary School, Potiskum, in 1983.
He also stated that he graduated with a Second Class Upper degree in Agriculture from the University of Maiduguri in 1989 and later earned a Master’s degree in Agricultural Economics from the University of Ibadan.
Atiku’s documents show that he obtained his First School Leaving Certificate in 1954 and his West African School Certificate in 1961.
He also declared that he earned a Master’s degree in International Relations from Anglia Ruskin University in 2020.
Amaechi was born on May 27, 1965, in Ubima, Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State.
He attended St. Theresa’s Primary School from 1970 to 1976 and obtained a West African Senior School Certificate from Government Secondary School, Okolobiri, in 1982.
He obtained a Bachelor of Arts Honours degree in English Studies and Literature from the University of Port Harcourt in 1987, where he served as president of the National Union of Rivers State Students.
He later earned a Bachelor of Laws and related qualifications, including from Baze University and the Nigerian Law School, as well as further studies at King’s College London.
Obi’s Form EC9 states that he attended St. Augustine’s Primary School in Anambra before proceeding to Christ the King College, where he obtained his West African School Certificate in 1978.
He also declared a Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, obtained in 1984.
Kwankwaso declared in his affidavit that he was born on October 21, 1956, in Kano and is 69 years old.
His educational records showed that he obtained a Higher Diploma in Civil Engineering, Water Resources, from Kaduna Polytechnic in 1980 with Upper Credit.
The certificate attached to his submission states that he completed the approved course of study in June 1980 before the institution’s Academic Board awarded him the Higher Diploma.
He also submitted his NYSC Certificate of National Service, which shows that he completed his one year mandatory national service between August 1, 1980, and July 31, 1981.
Duke stated that he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in law from Ahmadu Bello University (ABU).
Sowore submitted a master’s degree in public administration from Columbia University in New York and holds a BSc in Geography and Regional Planning from the University of Lagos, covering 1989 to 1995, with a two year extension due to expulsion for political activism.
Former President Goodluck Jonathan was absent from the list.
He had reportedly been nominated by the Tanimu Turaki led faction of the PDP.
Gbenga Olawepo Hashim, who had laid claim to the Accord Party’s presidential ticket, was also not listed.
The Accord Party had earlier announced that it would not field a presidential candidate, saying none of its aspirants met the nomination deadline.
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