Political analysts have urged Nigerians to critically assess the candidates on the ballot after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) released the final list of presidential candidates for the 2027 elections.

INEC recently published the final list of 18 presidential candidates and their running mates for the January 2027 general elections.

The analysts spoke in separate interviews on Sunday in Lagos.

A political scientist, Dr Emeka Ozoemena, said the list offered Nigerians a wide range of choices, but urged voters to look beyond party sentiment.

He said the electorate should interrogate the antecedents, competence and integrity of the candidates before casting their votes.

“The ballot is powerful. Nigerians must not waste it on sentiment, ethnicity or religion. Competence should be the deciding factor,” he said.

The convener of a civil society group, Coalition for Credible Leadership, Adedoyin Fabikun, commended the inclusion of two female presidential candidates on the list.

She, however, said the figure was still low, describing it as reflecting the barriers confronting women in Nigerian politics.

“Two out of 18 is not enough. We must dismantle the structures that keep women away from the highest offices,” she said.

A political economist, Prof. Bassey Ekefre, expressed concern over the ages of the leading candidates, urging a deliberate plan for generational transition.

He noted that most frontline candidates were above 60, while most registered voters were young people.

“A country where the young dominate the population but the old dominate the ballot must ask itself hard questions,” he said.

Mr Ekefre, however, said age should not override capacity, stressing that experience remained vital in leadership.

The analysts agreed that a credible, issue-based campaign would help voters make informed decisions in the elections.

They urged INEC to sustain transparency and ensure a level playing field for all the candidates.

 (NAN)