2027 Nigerian general election

Last updated

2027 Nigerian general election
Flag of Nigeria.svg
  2023 20272031 

President before election

Bola Tinubu
APC

Elected President

TBD


All 109 seats in the Senate

All 360 seats in the House of Representatives

General elections will be held in Nigeria in 2027 to elect the president and vice president, members of the Senate and House of Representatives, state governors, and members of the house of assembly. Incumbent president Bola Tinubu has made his intentions known to run for a 2nd term under the All Progressives Congress. [1]

Contents

Background

On 2 July 2025, the Africa Democratic Congress was formed by former vice president Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi to oppose President Bola Tinubu and the All Progressives Congress in the 2027 election. [2]

Electoral system

The President of Nigeria is elected using a modified two-round system with up to three rounds. To be elected in the first round, a candidate must receive a plurality of the votes and over 25% of the vote in at least 24 of the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory. If no candidate passes this threshold, a second round will be held between the top candidate and the next candidate to have received a majority of votes in the highest number of states. In the second round, a candidate still must receive the most votes and over 25% of the vote in at least 24 of the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory to be elected. If neither candidate passes this threshold, a third round will be held where just majority of the votes is required to be elected.

The 109 members of the Senate are elected from 109 single-seat constituencies (three in each state and one for the Federal Capital Territory) by first-past-the-post voting. [3] The 360 members of the House of Representatives are also elected by first-past-the-post voting in single-member constituencies. [4]

Eligibility (Presidency)

The Nigerian Constitution limits occupancy of the presidency to individuals who are at least thirty-five, the person must be a citizen of Nigeria by birth, must be a member of a political party and sponsored by that party and must have been educated up to at least School Certificate level or its equivalent. A person who meets the above qualifications is still disqualified from holding the office of the president if: they have voluntarily acquired the citizenship of a country other than Nigeria (except in such cases as may be prescribed by the National Assembly) or they have made a declaration of allegiance to such other country; they have been elected to such office at any two previous elections; under the law in any part of Nigeria, they are adjudged to be a lunatic or otherwise declared to be of unsound mind; they are under a sentence of death imposed by any competent court of law or tribunal in Nigeria or a sentence of imprisonment or fine for any offence involving dishonesty or fraud or for any other offence, imposed on them by any court or tribunal or substituted by a competent authority for any other sentence imposed on them by such a court or tribunal; within a period of less than ten years before the date of the election to the office of President they have been convicted and sentenced for an offence involving dishonesty or they have been found guilty of the contravention of the Code of Conduct; they are an undischarged bankrupt, having been adjudged or otherwise declared bankrupt under any law in force in Nigeria or any other country; being a person employed in the civil or public service of the Federation or of any State, they have not resigned, withdrawn or retired from the employment at least thirty days before the date of the election; or they are a member of any secret society; they have been indicted for embezzlement or fraud by a Judicial Commission of Inquiry or an Administrative Panel of Inquiry or a Tribunal set up under the Tribunals of Inquiry Act, a Tribunals of Inquiry law or any other law by the federal or state government which indictment has been accepted by the federal or state government, respectively; they have presented a forged certificate to the Independent National Electoral Commission. [5] [6]

There is no maximum age for candidates; although, in March 2025, the house of representatives approved a bill proposing 60 years as the maximum age limit for presidential and gubernatorial candidates for second reading. [7]

Former President, Goodluck Jonathan is eligible to run in 2027 under any political party of choice, since he was an elected president for just one term. [8] Former presidents Muhammadu Buhari, and Olusegun Obasanjo are ineligible to be elected to a third term, as section 135 of the 1999 constitution of Nigeria forbids any person from being elected president more than twice.

Eligibility (National Assembly)

The Nigerian Constitution limits occupancy of the senate and house of representatives to individuals who are at least thirty-five years and twenty-five years respectively, the person must be a citizen of Nigeria by birth, must be a member of a political party and sponsored by that party and must have been educated up to at least School Certificate level or its equivalent. [6]

Eligibility (Governorship)

The Nigerian Constitution limits occupancy of the governor of a state to individuals who are at least thirty-five years, the person must be a citizen of Nigeria by birth, must be a member of a political party and sponsored by that party and must have been educated up to at least School Certificate level or its equivalent. [6]

Eligibility (State Assembly)

The Nigerian Constitution limits occupancy of the state house of assembly to individuals who are at least twenty-five years, the person must be a citizen of Nigeria by birth, must be a member of a political party and sponsored by that party and must have been educated up to at least School Certificate level or its equivalent. [9]

Presidential candidates

(Speculated by the media)

Rotimi Amaechi

Rotimi Amaechi served as the governor of Rivers State from 2007 to 2015 and then the Minister of Transportation from 2015 to 2023. He previously ran for the All Progressives Congress presidential nomination in 2023, but lost to President Bola Tinubu. He has been considered a possible candidate by the Guardian, [10] and News Central TV . [11]

Rabiu Kwankwaso

Rabiu Kwankwaso previously served as governor of Kano state from 1999 to 2003 and from 2011 to 2015. After he lost his re-election in 2003, he was appointed the first Minister of Defence of the Fourth Republic, from 2003 to 2007, under the administration of President Olusegun Obasanjo. He was later elected to the Senate in 2015, serving one term under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) representing Kano Central Senatorial District. He contested for the presidency in 2023 under the New Nigeria People's Party and scored 6.4% of the popular votes. A 2025 meeting with Rauf Aregbesola sparked an alliance talk as reported by Business Day , [12] and ThisDayLive . [13]

Peter Obi

Peter Obi is a Nigerian politician and businessman who was the Governor of Anambra State under President Olusegun Obasanjo from 17 March 2006 to 3 November 2006, when he was impeached. He was reinstated on 9 February 2007 and continued his tenure until 2010. He was reelected for his second term until 7 March 2014. A member of the Labour Party since 2022, he was the presidential candidate in the 2023 Nigerian presidential election. He was reported to have said that he may not contest again for presidency after the 2027 elections by The Punch . [14] He was stated to have said he was in a coalition movement for the election, as reported by Vanguard . [15]

Bola Tinubu

Bola Tinubu is a Nigerian politician who is serving as the 16th and current president of Nigeria since 2023. He previously served as the governor of Lagos State from 1999 to 2007, and senator for Lagos West in the Third Republic. He was accused by the Arewa Consultative Forum for prioritising the 2027 elections over national issues. This was reported by Channels TV. [16] Tribune Online reported support for President Tinubu by a women's group. [17] His candidacy was also mentioned by Vanguard , [18] The Punch , [19] The Nation , [20] and others.

Notes

  1. Individuals listed below have been mentioned as potential 2027 presidential candidates in at least two reliable media sources in the last six months.

References

  1. "Nigeria's ruling party endorses President Tinubu for 2027 re-election". Reuters. 2025-05-22. Retrieved 2025-06-08.
  2. "Nigeria's opposition leaders form alliance in effort to unseat the ruling party in 2027". AP News. 3 July 2025. Retrieved 3 July 2025.
  3. "National Assembly | Federal Republic of Nigeria". National Assembly. 2018-02-16. Archived from the original on 2018-02-16. Retrieved 2020-12-18.
  4. "IPU PARLINE database: NIGERIA (House of Representatives), Electoral system". Inter-Parliamentary Union. Retrieved 2020-12-18.
  5. "Basic qualifications for elections in Nigeria". www.stears.co. Retrieved 2025-06-08.
  6. 1 2 3 "Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999" (PDF). nigeriarights.gov.ng.
  7. Orji, Ndubuisi (2025-03-28). "…Propose 60 years, first degree for presidential, gubernatorial". The Sun Nigeria. Retrieved 2025-06-08.
  8. Odeniyi, Solomon (2025-05-11). "Why Jonathan won't run against Tinubu in 2027 – Patience". Punch Newspapers. Retrieved 2025-06-08.
  9. "The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 Updated with the 1st, 2nd, 3rd Alterations (2010), 4th Alteration (2017) and 5th Alteration (2023)" (PDF). faolex.fao.org.
  10. Meshioye, David (2025-06-02). "2027: Coalition considers Amaechi/el-Rufai ticket amid doubts over Obi". The Guardian Nigeria News. Retrieved 2025-06-08.
  11. Adeyiga, Abisoye (2025-06-03). "Coalition Explores Amaechi/El-Rufai for 2027, Citing Concerns Over Obi" . Retrieved 2025-06-08.
  12. Iniobong, Iwok (2025-02-08). "Aregbesola, Kwankwaso Lagos meeting sparks 2027 alliance talk". Businessday NG. Retrieved 2025-06-08.
  13. Okocha, Chuks. "Kwankwaso, Aregbesola Hold 'Strategic Meeting' in Lagos Ahead of 2027". ThisDayLive. Retrieved 2025-06-08.
  14. Folorunsho-Francis, Adebayo (2025-05-24). "I may not contest again after 2027, says Obi". Punch Newspapers. Retrieved 2025-06-08.
  15. Bankole, Idowu (2025-05-20). "2027: Why I'm in coalition — Peter Obi". Vanguard News. Retrieved 2025-06-08.
  16. Anichukwueze, Donatus (2025-06-07). "ACF Criticises Tinubu For Prioritising 2027 Campaign Over National Issues". Channels Television. Retrieved 2025-06-08.
  17. Arogbonlo, Israel (2025-06-08). "2027: Women group endorses Tinubu for second term". Tribune Online. Retrieved 2025-06-08.
  18. Bankole, Idowu (2025-06-07). "2027: We'll support Tinubu, as we now understand his message of hope - S/East group". Vanguard News. Retrieved 2025-06-08.
  19. Obianeri, Ikenna (2025-06-07). "2027: S'East group urges Ndigbo to back Tinubu's re-election". Punch Newspapers. Retrieved 2025-06-08.
  20. "2027: 1,000 PDP youth groups declare support for Tinubu, hail Wike as party's greatest asset". The Nation Newspaper. 2025-06-08. Retrieved 2025-06-08.