*Shettima, Amaechi, Kwankwaso, 16 other vice presidential candidates’ names also displayed
Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) yesterday published the personal particulars of President Bola Tinubu, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, and former Anambra State governor, Peter Obi, and 16 others as presidential candidates contesting the 2027 presidential election.
Tinubu is the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Atiku is of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), while Obi is the candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC).
The names and particulars of the running mates of the 19 presidential candidates were also displayed in line with the revised timetable and schedule of activities for the 2027 general election.
While Vice President Kashim Shettima is Tinubu’s running mate, the former Minister of Transportation, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, and the former governor of Kano State, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, are Atiku and Obi’s running mates, respectively.
The display, contained in Form EC9, is a statutory requirement under Section 29(3) of the Electoral Act, 2026, which mandates INEC to publish candidates’ particulars within 21 days of receipt.
The list of presidential candidates published by the commission includes Tinubu (APC), Atiku (ADC), Obi (NDC), Senator Sandy Onor (PDP), Omoyele Sowore (AAC), Donald Duke (PRP), Okwori Ada Elizabeth Frederick (NDP), Chukwu Anita Zugwai (YPP), and Rufai Adekunle Omoaje (AA).
Others are Adenuga Sunday (Boot Party), Memeh Samuel (DLA), Nwanyanwu Daniel Danerechukwu (ZLP), Okereke Sunday Chibuzor (LP), and Okereke Iken Esther (NRM), Abbas-Bin Aliyu (ADP), Dikwa Suleiman Mohammed (NNPP), Adebayo Adewole Ebenezer (SDP), Seyi Makinde (APM), and Yusuf Kabiru (APP).
However, the name of former President Goodluck Jonathan, nominated by the Tanimu Turaki faction of the PDP, was completely missing from the list of candidates published by the commission.
Also missing from the list is the name of Gbenga Olawepo Hashim, who claimed to be the candidate of the Accord party.
The party had announced that it has no presidential candidate because none of its members met the nomination deadline.
The list also includes the vice-presidential candidates, including Shettima for APC, Amaechi (ADC), Kwankwaso (NDC), Shehu Hussaini (AA), Egbeola Olawale Mertins (YPP), Ike Chinazam (ADP), Mustapha Usman Turaki (Boot Party), Balogun Alex (DLA), Chikwuemeka Uchenna Anthony (NDP), Magashi Haruna Garba (AAC), Umaru Babangida (PDP), and Konto Hajja Bintu (LP).
Others are Hassan Khalid (ZLP), Samuel Magdalene Gali (NRM), Abubakar Isah (NNPP), Buba Musa (PRP), Bugaje Usman Mohammed (SDP), Ibrahim Adamu Bala (APM), and Ofordile Peace Egobia (APP).
The details of the candidates, including their academic records and the schools they attended, with dates, as submitted to INEC, were released ahead of the official August 19, 2026, commencement of political campaigns for the presidential election.
The copies of Tinubu’s Form EC9, which also contain academic records of candidates, showed Tinubu has a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Chicago State University, United States, in 1979.
As expected, there was no information regarding the Primary and Secondary schools he attended.
Also, as part of the information he made available to INEC, he served in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) between December 1982 and November 1983.
The president’s personal information section listed his date of birth as March 29, 1952, and his age as 74.
Also, the particulars of Shettima showed that he attended Lamisula I Primary School between 1972 and 1978.
He obtained his West African Examinations Council result at Government Secondary School, Potiskum, in June 1983.
Shettima graduated from the University of Maiduguri, where he bagged a Second-Class Upper Division degree in Agriculture in August 1989.
He obtained a Master of Science in Agricultural Economics from the University of Ibadan.
Similarly, Atiku obtained an FSLC in 1954 and a WASC certificate in 1961, and earned his Master’s in International Relations from Anglia Ruskin University in 2020.
Obi attended St. Augustine’s Primary School in Anambra in 1973 before proceeding to Christ the King’s College, where he obtained his WASC in 1978. He was awarded a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy by the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, in 1984.
Former Cross River State governor Duke said he graduated from Ahmadu Bello University with a bachelor’s degree in law. At the same time, civil rights activist Omoyele Sowore submitted that he has a master’s degree in public administration from The Trustees of Columbia University in New York.