By Emmanuel Oloniruha
Abuja: Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has published the final list of presidential candidates and their running mates for the January 2027 general elections.
The list, signed by the Secretary to the Commission, Rose Oriaran-Anthony, released on Saturday in Abuja, featured candidates sponsored by 18 political parties competing for the office.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the gender distribution of the list showed that out of the 18 presidential flag bearers, 16 are male, representing 88.9 per cent, while two are female.
NAN also reports that the male contenders on the list include: Bola Tinubu of All Progressives Congress (APC), Abubakar Atiku of African Democratic Congress (ADC), and Peter Obi of Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC).
Others are: Adewole Adebayo of Social Democratic Party (SDP), Oluseyi Makinde of Allied People’s Movement (APM), Donald Duke of People’s Redemption Party (PRP), Chibuzor Okereke of Labour Party (LP) and Omoyele Sowore of African Action Congress (AAC).
The only two female presidential candidates, which constitute 11.1 per cent of the number, are: Okwori Fredrick of National Democratic Party (NDP) and Dr Esther Okereke of National Redemption Party (NRM).
The gender statistics of the vice-presidential candidates also shows that a total of 14 running mates are male, representing 77.8 per cent, while only four, representing 22.2 per cent, are female.
The female vice-presidential candidates are: Ofordile Egobia (APP), Abubakar Usaku (DLA), Konto Bintu (LP) and Patience Ndidi (YPP).
NAN reports that the commission also released the final list of candidates for the senate and the House of Representatives.(NAN)
Source: News Agency of Nigeria