By Osaretin Osadebamwen
With the ban on political campaigning for the 2027 general elections now lifted, Nigeria’s political landscape has entered a new phase of heightened competition, coalition-building and policy debate.
Twenty-one registered political parties have been cleared by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to field presidential candidates, setting the stage for what promises to be one of the most consequential elections since the return to democratic rule in 1999.
From the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to the emerging Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), the contest brings together established political structures, opposition coalitions, regional interests and competing visions for Nigeria’s future.
At the centre of the contest are questions that will dominate the campaign: the state of the economy, insecurity, unemployment, electricity, the cost of living, institutional reform and whether Nigerians believe the country is moving in the right direction.
Bola Tinubu: The Incumbent Seeks a Second Mandate
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu enters the race with the formidable advantages of incumbency, federal influence and the extensive political machinery of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Tinubu’s political career spans decades. From his role in the development of the Alliance for Democracy in the Southwest to his involvement in the coalition that produced the APC in 2013, he has established himself as one of Nigeria’s most influential political strategists.
His 2023 victory brought him to the presidency, but his re-election bid will be judged largely against the economic realities Nigerians have experienced during his administration.
The removal of the petrol subsidy and the liberalisation of the foreign-exchange market have been defended by the administration as necessary reforms, but their consequences—including inflation, rising living costs and pressure on household incomes—have generated widespread public concern.
Tinubu’s campaign is therefore likely to focus heavily on the argument that his reforms require time to produce their intended benefits. His opponents, however, will argue that Nigerians have already paid too high a price.
His greatest political advantage may be the fragmentation of the opposition. Whether that advantage survives the coalition-building efforts now under way will be one of the central questions of the campaign.
Peter Obi: Building a New Opposition Coalition
Peter Obi enters the contest with the political momentum generated by his 2023 presidential campaign, which attracted significant support among young Nigerians and urban voters.
Now associated with the newly registered Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Obi is seeking to broaden the coalition that propelled his Labour Party (LP) campaign three years ago.
His alliance with former Kano State Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso is particularly significant. The partnership seeks to combine Obi’s support base in the Southeast and among younger and urban voters with Kwankwaso’s political influence in parts of the Northwest.
The alliance reflects a recognition of one of the central challenges confronting Nigerian opposition candidates: converting enthusiasm in particular regions and demographic groups into a genuinely national coalition.
The NDC has also placed electricity at the heart of its economic message, promising to raise power generation from roughly 4,000 megawatts to 10,000 megawatts within its first term. It is important to note that Obi promised a One term in office as President where he wins. This can be interpreted to mean he is abiding to the convention that power rotates between the south and the North
For Obi, however, enthusiasm must be converted into organisation. Unlike the APC and other established parties, the NDC is a relatively new political vehicle and must build the ward-level structures, agents and nationwide machinery required for a presidential election.
The lifting of the campaign ban therefore gives Obi an opportunity not only to sell his message but also to demonstrate that his political movement can operate beyond the digital space and translate popular support into votes. Like the four tweerers tho became 6.1 million votes in 2023 presidential elections.
Atiku Abubakar: Experience Meets Another Presidential Bid
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar returns to the presidential contest as the candidate of the African Democratic Congress, with former Rivers State Governor and ex-Minister Rotimi Amaechi as his running mate.
Atiku’s political experience is unmatched by most of the contenders. Having contested the presidency several times, he possesses extensive networks across the country, particularly in the North, as well as considerable experience navigating Nigeria’s political establishment.
The Atiku-Amaechi ticket is designed to project a broad regional coalition, combining Atiku’s northern political base with Amaechi’s influence in the South.
The ADC has positioned itself as a major opposition platform, attacking the Tinubu administration over economic reforms, particularly the removal of the petrol subsidy and the naira’s depreciation.
Atiku’s challenge, however, is twofold. He must convince voters that his latest candidacy represents more than another attempt by a familiar political figure, while also overcoming the persistent fragmentation of opposition forces.
His political camp has also raised concerns about alleged attempts to undermine the ADC’s participation in the election. Such allegations are likely to become part of a wider campaign narrative about electoral fairness and the integrity of the 2027 process.
Seyi Makinde: Can Oyo’s Model Travel Nationwide?
Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde represents a different proposition in the presidential contest: executive experience combined with a reputation for relatively pragmatic politics.
Adopted as the consensus presidential candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement, Makinde is being presented by his supporters as a governor whose record in infrastructure, healthcare and economic management demonstrates the kind of competence they believe Nigeria needs at the federal level.
His ability to maintain relationships across political divides has also strengthened his profile beyond his immediate political base.
But a presidential campaign is vastly different from a governorship race. Makinde would need to expand his influence substantially beyond the Southwest and demonstrate that his political appeal can resonate across the North, Southeast, South-South and other regions.
His relative youth and executive record could appeal to voters demanding generational change, while his political experience gives him credibility as a sitting governor.
The campaign will determine whether his achievements in Oyo the latest being the rescue of the Oriire victims believed to have been in collaboration between himself and the President, can be successfully transformed into a national political narrative.
Omoyele Sowore: The Voice of the Anti-Establishment
African Action Congress (AAC), candidate Omoyele Sowore enters the contest as the strongest representation of Nigeria’s activist and anti-establishment political tradition.
From his pro-democracy activism to his journalism and presidential campaigns, Sowore has consistently challenged successive administrations and called for fundamental changes to Nigeria’s political and economic system.
The Publisher of Sahara Reporters campaign is likely to focus on electoral reform, human rights, accountability and opposition to what he describes as the failures of the political establishment.
Sowore has also criticised initiatives such as the National Peace Accord, arguing that declarations alone cannot prevent electoral violence, intimidation or manipulation.
His major challenge remains structural. Smaller parties generally lack the financial resources, extensive grassroots machinery and nationwide political networks available to the major parties.
Sowore nevertheless retains an identifiable constituency among activists, civil society groups and young Nigerians dissatisfied with conventional politics. His campaign could therefore remain an important vehicle for the protest vote, where they come.
Donald Duke: The Technocrat Returns to the National Stage
Former Cross River State Governor Donald Duke is contesting under the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), bringing with him the reputation he developed during his tenure as governor.
Duke remains associated with projects such as the Tinapa business resort and efforts to reposition Cross River State as a tourism and investment destination.
His political brand is built around development, modernisation and technocratic governance. He has also presented himself as a consensus-oriented figure at a time when opposition politics remains deeply divided.
His challenge is translating that reputation into a nationwide electoral movement.
The PRP has historical significance in Nigerian politics, but its present-day electoral footprint is limited compared with the APC and other major platforms. Duke will therefore need to build substantial national visibility and organisation if his policy-driven message is to compete effectively.
The lifting of the campaign ban gives him the opportunity to reintroduce his political philosophy to a new generation of voters who may know his record more from history than personal political experience.
Adewole Adebayo: The Policy-Driven Alternative
Prince Adewole Adebayo is a lawyer, entrepreneur, media proprietor, philanthropist and international affairs practitioner who transitioned into presidential politics. The Social Democratic Party’s Adewole Adebayo brings a strong emphasis on policy, economic reform and institutional restructuring to the presidential contest.
The lawyer, media entrepreneur and policy advocate, has distinguished himself through his detailed engagement with national issues and his calls for opposition parties to work together against the APC.
His argument is straightforward: Nigeria needs a credible political alternative built around governance rather than personality, patronage and electoral calculations.
His experience in the media has also given him a platform to communicate directly with voters and engage in policy debates.
Adewole Adebayo is an unrepentant advocate of Chapter Two of Nigeria’s Constitution, insisting that its Fundamental Objectives and Directive Principles should guide governance and place citizens’ welfare at the heart of government.
For Adebayo, provisions on economic opportunity, social justice, education, healthcare, security and equitable development must move beyond constitutional aspirations to become measurable obligations that deliver dignity, prosperity and a better quality of life for Nigerians.
However, Adebayo faces the familiar problem confronting many smaller-party candidates: limited political structures and resources.
His message may resonate with voters searching for competence and substantive policy discussion, but converting that appeal into a nationwide electoral force will require significant organisation.
The campaign will reveal whether Nigerians are prepared to reward a policy-first approach in an electoral environment where regional identity, party machinery and political networks remain powerful influences.
The Smaller Parties: More Choices, More Fragmentation
Beyond the leading contenders, candidates from parties including Accord, the Zenith Labour Party, the Boot Party, the Action Peoples Party and the National Rescue Movement National Democratic Movement (NDP), will add further layers to the presidential contest.
While most of these candidates face an uphill battle against the larger political machines, their participation remains important to Nigeria’s democratic process.
They provide platforms for alternative ideas, regional interests and voters who may feel inadequately represented by the dominant parties. Their presence, however, also contributes to the fragmentation of the opposition vote.
For the APC, a divided opposition could be politically advantageous. For opposition parties seeking to defeat the incumbent, the multiplication of presidential candidates creates an immediate strategic problem: how to prevent anti-incumbent votes from being dispersed across multiple platforms.
The lifting of the campaign ban could therefore accelerate negotiations for alliances, endorsements and possible realignments as parties assess the realities of the electoral arithmetic. Where that fails the opposition wou;d deliver the Presidency to the APC as it did in 2023
