Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced that it will publish the personal particulars of candidates for the presidential and national assembly elections on Saturday, August 1, 2026, marking a critical milestone in the countdown to the 2027 general elections. The publication, which is in line with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2026, will see the personal particulars, academic credentials, and other documents submitted by candidates for the offices of President, Senate, and House of Representatives made available for public inspection at INEC offices nationwide. The exercise is designed to promote transparency in the electoral process and provide Nigerians with the opportunity to scrutinise the documents submitted by aspirants before the elections.
Speaking to TheCable on Friday, July 31, 2026, Mohammed Haruna, INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, confirmed that the publication is in line with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2026. He explained that the publication of the documents is listed as item five on the commission's timetable, adding that the personal particulars of governorship and state assembly candidates will be published on August 29. "The publication of the personal particulars of the presidential and national assembly candidates tomorrow is item 5. Those for governorship and state assembly candidates will be published on August 29," Haruna said. "All this is in conformity with section 29 (3) of the Electoral Act 2026, which provides for the publication of these particulars within 21 days of receiving them".
According to the commission, the personal particulars comprise the documents and information submitted by candidates to INEC as part of the nomination process. They include candidates’ full name, gender, residential address, educational qualifications, and work experience. In a separate chat, Adedayo Oketola, Chief Press Secretary to INEC Chairman Joash Amupitan, said the commission will publish Form EC9 for public inspection for presidential, senate, and house of representatives’ candidates contesting the 2027 general election on Saturday. “Form EC9 contains the candidates’ affidavits, credentials, and other personal particulars that were submitted,” Oketola said. “The documents will be displayed in all INEC state offices and offices in the constituencies. Section 29(3) of the Electoral Act, 2026, provides for the publication of Form EC9 within 21 days of receipt. So, this is in line with the revised timetable and schedule of activities for the 2027 general election released on February 26, 2026”.
The publication of candidates’ credentials marks another critical milestone in preparations for the 2027 general election, following the conclusion of party primaries and the submission of nomination forms by political parties. Among the presidential candidates whose credentials will be made public are President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC), former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), and former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), alongside candidates of other political parties that successfully submitted their nomination forms. The exercise will also cover the publication of the credentials and personal particulars of all candidates contesting the Senate and House of Representatives elections across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
Political parties concluded the online submission of the names, personal particulars, and other required information relating to their nominated presidential and National Assembly candidates on Tuesday, July 14, 2026, following a 72-hour extension of the original deadline. Under its revised timetable, INEC had initially scheduled the submission of nominations for presidential and National Assembly candidates from June 27 to July 11, 2026. Section 29(1) of the Electoral Act, 2026 provides that political parties must submit Forms EC9 and EC9A, EC9B, EC9C, EC9D and EC9E, containing the personal particulars and names of nominated presidential and National Assembly candidates, not later than 120 days before the election.
The process is backed by Section 29(3) of the Electoral Act, 2026, which provides that: “The Commission shall, within 21 days of the receipt of the personal particulars of the candidate, publish same in the constituency where the candidate intends to contest the election”. In addition, Section 29(5) of the Act provides that any person who believes that any information submitted by a candidate is false may file a suit at the Federal High Court seeking a declaration that the information contained in the affidavit or other documents is false. The legal framework ensures that the publication of candidates' particulars is not just a procedural formality but a mechanism for public accountability and scrutiny.
Meanwhile, the online submission of the names, personal particulars, and other required information for governorship and State Houses of Assembly candidates, which commenced on July 18, will continue until August 8, 2026. INEC has fixed August 29, 2026, for the publication of the personal particulars of governorship and State Houses of Assembly candidates using Form EC9. Party primaries that produced candidates for the various elective positions were held between April 23 and May 30, 2026. According to the revised timetable, the next major activity after the publication of candidates’ particulars is the commencement of electioneering campaigns for the presidential and National Assembly elections on August 19, 2026, while campaigns for governorship and state Houses of Assembly elections will begin later in accordance with the commission’s schedule.
INEC has scheduled the presidential and National Assembly elections for January 16, 2027, while governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections will be held on February 6, 2027. As the publication of candidates' personal particulars begins on Saturday, the nation enters a critical phase of the electoral cycle, with Nigerians now able to scrutinise the credentials of those seeking to lead the country and its legislative bodies. The exercise is a vital step towards ensuring that the 2027 elections are conducted with the highest levels of transparency and integrity, as mandated by the Electoral Act 2026.
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