2027: Jonathan’s Name Missing As INEC Publishes Tinubu, Atiku, Obi, Others’ Credentials

African Democratic Congress (ADC), Peter Obi of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), and other validly nominated presidential candidates for the 2027 general election.

INEC also displayed the personal particulars and credentials of the vice-presidential candidates nominated by the political parties for the 2027 general election.

They include Vice President Kashim Shettima, who is seeking a second term as the running mate to President Bola Tinubu of the APC; former Governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi, who is the running mate to Atiku Abubakar of the ADC; and Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, who was nominated as the vice-presidential candidate to Peter Obi of the NDC.

The publication was made in compliance with the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2026, which require the commission to publish the personal particulars of nominated candidates.

The publication includes academic certificates, declarations and other documents submitted by the candidates in support of their nominations.

Under Section 29(3) of the Electoral Act, 2026, INEC is required to publish the personal particulars of candidates within 21 days of receiving them to enable members of the public to scrutinise the documents and, where necessary, challenge any information considered to be false before a competent court.

Jonathan’s omission follows the controversy surrounding his purported nomination by the Tanimu Turaki-led PDP faction, which had claimed to have submitted his name manually after it was allegedly denied the access code required to upload its candidates electronically to INEC’s nomination portal.

However, INEC had maintained that such a submission was unknown to law. The commission’s Director of Voter Education and Publicity, Victoria Ita-Messi, said only candidates whose nominations were electronically transmitted through the dedicated INEC portal using access codes issued by the commission would be recognised.

She explained that the Electoral Act, 2026, as well as the commission’s Regulations and Guidelines for Political Parties, do not recognise manual submission of candidates’ nomination forms, describing any such exercise as a nullity.

The publication of the candidates’ particulars forms part of INEC’s statutory obligations under the Electoral Act and the timetable for the 2027 general election. Campaigns for the presidential and National Assembly elections are scheduled to commence on August 19 ahead of the January 16, 2027 presidential and National Assembly elections.