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Nigeria’s political landscape is beginning to take shape ahead of the January 16, 2027 presidential election as major parties conclude their primaries and alliances continue to shift.
President Bola Tinubu secured the presidential ticket of the All Progressives Congress after a sweeping victory in the party’s nationwide direct primary conducted across the country’s 8,809 wards and 774 local government areas.
Tinubu polled 10,999,162 votes to defeat businessman Stanley Osifo, who secured 16,503 votes. Chairman of the APC Presidential Primaries Election Committee, Pius Anyim, announced the results in Abuja, stating that Tinubu fulfilled the party’s constitutional requirements to emerge as its candidate for the 2027 general election.
“Thank you all of you. You changed the landscape, looking at the figure that you returned,” Tinubu said while accepting the nomination.
Tinubu’s emergence sets the stage for another major contest with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who won the presidential ticket of the African Democratic Congress.
The ADC said Atiku secured 1,846,370 votes to defeat former Rivers State governor Rotimi Amaechi, who polled 504,117 votes, while businessman Mohammed Hayatu-Deen received 177,120 votes.
Atiku described the exercise as evidence that democracy remains active within the ADC despite challenges facing opposition politics.
“We demonstrated that while democracy is being strangled and squashed by its ruling party and its operatives, democracy is alive and well in the African Democratic Congress,” he said.
However, the ADC primary triggered controversy, with Amaechi alleging voter disenfranchisement and Hayatu-Deen raising concerns about alleged vote manipulation.
Former Anambra State governor Peter Obi also remains a major figure in the unfolding race. After initially aligning with the ADC alongside several opposition politicians, Obi later moved to the Nigeria Democratic Congress alongside former Kano State governor Musa Kwankwaso.
The NDC has indicated it may adopt an affirmation process for its presidential primary, fuelling speculation that Obi could emerge as the party’s flagbearer, with Kwankwaso potentially serving as running mate.
The possible Tinubu-Atiku-Obi contest mirrors the three-way battle witnessed during the 2023 presidential election, when Tinubu won with 8.79 million votes ahead of Atiku’s 6.98 million and Obi’s 6.10 million votes.
Political observers believe Tinubu will rely heavily on incumbency and support from APC governors across the country heading into the election.
Atiku is expected to draw strength from his strong northern political network, coalition-building experience and nationwide campaign structure developed over decades in politics.
Obi, meanwhile, continues to enjoy support among young voters and urban populations through the energetic “Obidient” movement, alongside his reputation for prudence and accountability.
Beyond the leading contenders, human rights activist Omoyele Sowore emerged as the presidential candidate of the African Action Congress during the party’s primary in Abuja.
“We are here not only to change the course of history but also to bring revolutionary change,” Sowore said after securing the nomination.
The Peoples Democratic Party also unveiled former Cross River governorship candidate Sandy Onor as its consensus presidential candidate following consultations across the states.
With the primaries now largely concluded, attention is shifting towards campaign strategies, coalition talks and what promises to be another fiercely contested presidential election in Nigeria’s democratic journey.
