2027 Race Officially Begins as Tinubu, Atiku, Obi Lead 19 Candidates Into Campaign Season

The Independent National Electoral Commission’s official campaign window for the 2027 presidential and National Assembly elections opened on Wednesday, August 19, 2026, with 150 days left until Nigerians vote on January 16, 2027.

INEC has published the credentials of 19 registered presidential candidates and their running mates, formally starting the phase of rallies, town halls and media contests that will run until 24 hours before polling day.

President Bola Tinubu leads the field as the APC’s candidate, running with Vice President Kashim Shettima.

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar contests under the African Democratic Congress alongside Rotimi Amaechi, while former Anambra governor Peter Obi carries the Nigeria Democratic Congress ticket.

Gubernatorial elections follow on February 6, 2027.

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A fractured opposition, an incumbent record on trial

ValidViewNetwork reports that the contest arrives against a backdrop of economic strain and worsening insecurity that has fed voter frustration with the Tinubu administration, even as officials point to subsidy savings estimated at ₦15.8 trillion between 2023 and 2025 and a stabilising naira as evidence reforms are working.

Opposition efforts to consolidate around one challenger have repeatedly stalled: an April 2026 Ibadan summit of Atiku, Obi, Kwankwaso and other leaders produced pledges of unity but no agreed candidate, and separate primaries left several parties, including the PDP, fielding factional or no candidates at all.

Findings show analysts still expect the real contest to narrow to three names, Tinubu, Atiku and Obi, echoing the 2023 race, though Atiku and Obi’s 2023 combined vote total of roughly 13.1 million would have outpaced Tinubu’s 8.8 million had they run together rather than splitting the opposition vote.

Whether that arithmetic repeats, or whether a fresh three-way split hands the APC an easier path, may be the single question that decides the outcome five months from now.