Children and relatives of former presidents, heads of state, governors and other prominent political figures feature among candidates in Nigeria’s 2027 Senate and House of Representatives elections, according to the final candidate lists published by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Key Highlights
- Several candidates with prominent political family ties are listed for the 2027 National Assembly elections.
- Names include Iyabo Obasanjo, Yusuf Buhari, Adamu Abubakar and Bello El-Rufai.
- Other candidates include Erhiatake Ibori-Suenu, Adegboyega Adefarati, Olamijuwonlo Alao-Akala and Olumide Osoba.
- INEC’s lists contain 4,408 candidates: 1,195 for the Senate and 3,213 for the House of Representatives.
- The presidential and National Assembly elections are scheduled for January 16, 2027.
Children of Former Presidents and Heads of State
Several children of former Nigerian presidents and heads of state are among candidates in the 2027 National Assembly contests.
Iyabo Obasanjo, daughter of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, is listed as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for Ogun Central Senatorial District.
Yusuf M. Buhari, son of the late former President Muhammadu Buhari, is listed as the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for the Daura/Sandamu/Mai’adua Federal Constituency in Katsina State.
Adamu Abubakar, a relative of former Head of State Abdulsalami Abubakar, is listed as the APC candidate for Chanchaga Federal Constituency in Niger State.
Children of Former Governors in the 2027 Race
Bello M. El-Rufai, son of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, is listed for Kaduna North Federal Constituency under the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
Chinedum Orji, son of former Abia State Governor Theodore Orji, is contesting Ikwuano/Umuahia North/Umuahia South. INEC’s House of Representatives list records the candidate as Orji Chinedu Enyinnaya, under the APC.
Erhiatake Ibori-Suenu, daughter of former Delta State Governor James Ibori, is listed for Ethiope East/Ethiope West Federal Constituency under the APC.
Adegboyega Adefarati, son of the late former Ondo State Governor Adebayo Adefarati, is listed for Akoko South-East/Akoko South-West Federal Constituency under the APC.
Olamijuwonlo Alao-Akala, son of the late former Oyo State Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala, is listed for Ogbomoso North/Ogbomoso South/Orire Federal Constituency under the APC.
Olumide Osoba, son of former Ogun State Governor Olusegun Osoba, is listed for Abeokuta North/Obafemi-Owode/Odeda Federal Constituency under the APC.
Blessing Onuh, daughter of former Senate President David Mark, is listed for Otukpo/Ohimini Federal Constituency in Benue State under the APC.
Political Families and National Assembly Representation
The presence of political heirs in the 2027 National Assembly contests highlights the continuing role of established political networks in Nigerian elections.
Supporters of political families point to experience, political networks and continuity as advantages for candidates. Critics argue that the prominence of established families can make it more difficult for newcomers to gain access to elective office.
These competing views form part of the wider debate about political participation, representation and the role of family networks in Nigeria’s electoral system.
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INEC Publishes Final 2027 Candidate Lists
INEC’s Senate list and House of Representatives list contain 4,408 candidates: 1,195 for the Senate and 3,213 for the House. The documents list candidates by state, constituency, name and party.
The commission’s calendar schedules the presidential and National Assembly elections for January 16, 2027, while governorship and State House of Assembly elections are set for February 6, 2027.
The candidate lists confirm who is standing for the federal legislative seats; the descriptions of family relationships in this article are drawn from the information supplied for the report.
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