INEC Publishes 2027 Presidential Candidate Credentials for Public Scrutiny

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) began the public display of personal particulars and academic credentials for presidential and National Assembly candidates for the 2027 general election on August 1, 2026. Acting under Section 29(3) of the Electoral Act 2026, the commission released documents such as Form EC9 to allow the public to scrutinize candidate submissions and challenge false information through legal processes.

Published records include the credentials of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress, featuring a 1979 degree from Chicago State University. Additionally, the commission released the educational history of Vice President Kashim Shettima, covering his primary school through a Master's degree. Other high-profile candidates whose details were made public include Atiku Abubakar of the African Democratic Congress and Peter Gregory Obi of the Nigerian Democratic Congress.

This transparency measure precedes the official start of political party campaigns for the presidential and National Assembly elections, which are scheduled to begin on August 19, 2026. The general elections are set to take place on January 16, 2027.