NAN Partners Firm On Candidates’ Database For 2027 Elections
The News Agency of Nigeria has entered a partnership to compile a single reference document profiling candidates for the 2027 general elections, in a move that lands just as the official race for tickets enters its decisive phase.
NAN signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Novel Communication Limited in Abuja to produce a political compendium documenting the profiles, track records and campaign manifestos of candidates seeking office in the polls. The agreement was signed by the Managing Director of NAN, Malam Ali Mohammed Ali, and the Chairman of Novel Communication Limited, Dr Abubakar Jimoh, according to a statement issued on Wednesday.
The publication is scheduled for launch on October 1, 2026, and will cover candidates contesting for President, governors, members of the National Assembly and state Houses of Assembly. Jimoh said the project would provide Nigerians with accessible information on political office seekers, their track records and antecedents, enabling voters to make informed decisions during elections.
The timing is significant. Following the repeal of the Electoral Act 2022 and the enactment of the Electoral Act 2026, INEC moved the Presidential and National Assembly elections to Saturday, January 16, 2027, with the Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections fixed for February 6, 2027.
The original February and March 2027 dates were rejected by some Muslim stakeholders who argued that they coincided with the Ramadan period, prompting the Senate to reduce the mandatory notice period from 360 days to 300 days.
That compressed calendar puts the compendium squarely within the candidate-emergence window. Parties uploaded nomination forms for presidential and National Assembly candidates between June 27 and July 11, 2026, while the final list of candidates is due for publication on November 15, 2026. An October launch means the document would appear after most contenders are known but before the formal lists are sealed.
Ali described the initiative as an important contribution to strengthening the country’s democratic process, saying the publication would guide voters and serve as reference material for researchers and scholars. He added that it aligned with the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Jimoh said the compendium would help reduce the indiscriminate display of campaign posters, discourage vote buying and encourage Nigerians to assess candidates on their records rather than ethnic, religious or financial considerations. He said it would be available in print and digital formats through the websites of both organisations.
The push speaks to a recurring weakness in the country’s elections. Jimoh said the project marked a creative approach toward entrenching democracy and good governance, helping to reduce voter ignorance and promote issue-based political participation. Vote buying has trailed recent off-cycle polls, and observers have repeatedly flagged the limited availability of verified candidate records as a barrier to informed voter choice.
Jimoh said the two organisations would seek the endorsement of political parties and INEC to support the project. He expressed confidence that it would help curb political thuggery and electoral malpractice while promoting issue-based campaigns.
Whether the compendium gains traction will likely depend on that buy-in, and on how quickly it can verify and publish records as the field of contenders firms up ahead of the January vote.