A Profile of Nigeria’s 14 Presidential Candidates:

The upcoming February 14 presidential election in Nigeria is not about President Goodluck Jonathan and Mohammadu Buhari alone. However there are 12 others. This is their Profile

                CANDIDATE                                                           PARTY

Goodluck Jonathan   (President)               Peoples Democratic Party

Mohammadu Buhari                                 All Progressives Congress

Tunde Anifowose-Kelani                                       Action Alliance

Rafiu Salau                                                                Alliance for Democracy

Alhaji Ganiyu Galadinma                                         Allied Congress Party of Nigeria

Mani Ahmad                                                           African Democratic Congress

Adebayo Musa Ayeni                                                     African People’s Alliance

Chief Sam Eke                                                                       Citizens' Popular Party

High Chief Ambrose Owuru                                                   Hope Democratic Party

Oluremi Comfort Sonaiya                                                                 KOWA Party

Chief Martin Onovo                                                                         National Conscience Party

Allagoa Chinedu                                                                                     Peoples Party of Nigeria

Godson Okoye                                                                                                 United Democratic Party

Chekwas Okorie                                                                                                  United Progressive Party

Goodluck Jonathan: Goodluck Jonathan is the Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He is the incumbent President and is seeking re-election. Jonathan assumed office in 2010 after the death of former President, Umaru Yar’Adua. He was elected into office in 2011.

Mohammadu Buhari: Mohammadu Buhari is the Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC). The former Head of State contested for the office of President in the 2003, 2007 and 2011 elections. He emerged the candidate of the APC in December 2014 defeating opponents which included former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar.

Tunde Anifowose-Kelani: Tunde Anifowose-Kelani is the Presidential candidate of the Action Alliance (AA). He was born in Agbokojo, Ibadan, Oyo state, on April 5, 1965. He earned a first degree in Guidance and Counselling combined with Communication and Language Arts from the University of Ibadan and a Master's degree in Personnel Psychology from the same university. He has also served as the National President, Junior Chambers International (JCI), and Chief Executive Officer of the Siegener Sabithos Nigeria Limited. He is a member of the board of the Shooting Stars Sports Club (3SC) of Ibadan.

Rafiu Salau: Rafiu Salau is the Presidential candidate of the Alliance for Democracy (AD). He is also the party’s National Secretary. The 58-year-old holds a Senior Secondary School leaving Certificate and believes that he is “the best candidate” for the number one office in the country. He has pledged to create two million jobs if elected and also raise Nigeria’s foreign reserve to $200 billion.

Alhaji Ganiyu Galadinma: Ganiyu Galadinma is the Presidential candidate of the Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN). Galadinma was the acting National Chairman of the party before being named its flag bearer of December 11, 2014. Galadinma has said that he believes strongly ‘in the need to end impunity in Nigeria’.

Dr Mani Ahmad: Mani Ahmad is the Presidential candidate of African Democratic Congress (ADC). He has urged Nigerians to think about their situation and those responsible and vote for ADC for a paradigm shift. He also expressed optimism at his ability to deliver if elected into office.

Adebayo Musa Ayeni: Adebayo Musa Ayeni is the Presidential candidate of the African People’s Alliance (APA). He was the Deputy Governor of the old Ondo State from 1990 to 1992, the first civilian to hold the office during military rule. He is from Emure Ekiti in Ekiti State. Ayeni has promised to tackle corruption if elected into office.

Chief Sam Eke: Sam Eke is the Presidential candidate of the Citizens' Popular Party (CPP) and is also its National Chairman. He is an accountant and a native of the Ikwuana Local Government Area of Abia state. He has attended the Pacific Western University, Janus University and the state University of New York, all in the US. Chief Eke has urged Nigerian politicians to shun “politics of bitterness” and the “do or die” mentality and also to refrain from gathering unnecessary wealth.

High Chief Ambrose Owuru: High Chief Ambrose Owuru is the Presidential candidate of the Hope Democratic Party. He is the National Chairman of the party and has contested Presidential elections twice. Owuru, who is a lawyer, was arrested and arraigned in 2013 by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over an alleged N66 million fraud. Owuru has described his party as “a new generation party of statesmen who work for the future of our people.”

Remi Comfort Sonaiya: Oluremi Comfort Sonaiya is the Presidential candidate of KOWA party. She is the only female contesting for the post. Dr Sonaiya, who was born on March 2nd, 1955, holds a doctorate degree in linguistics and is also a professor of French and applied linguistics at the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU). She has said that she is running for Nigeria’s number one office because she believes that an ‘ordinary citizen’ can do the job.

Chief Martin Onovo: Chief Martin Onovo is the Presidential candidate of the National Conscience Party (NCP). He is an engineer by profession and holds degrees from the University of Ibadan and the University of Houston. Chief Onovo contested the 2011 Presidential elections on the platform the Action Alliance (AA) in 2011. Onovo has said that if elected into power, his administration would use $9 billion to double power generation, transmission and distribution in two and half years.

Allagoa Chinedu: Allagoa Chinedu is the Presidential candidate of the Peoples Party of Nigeria (PPN). According to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mr Allagoa is 46-years-old and holds a Bachelor of Science degree. His running mate is 35-year-old Arabamhen Mary, a Secondary School leaving certificate holder.

Godson Okoye: Godson Okoye is the Presidential candidate of the United Democratic Party (UDP). He is a lawyer by profession. Okoye contested the governorship elections of Anambra State in 2010 and 2013. Okoye has said that his vision is to vision is to “make Nigeria secure and prosperous, through effective governance to overcome [our] current educational, security and power problems.”

Dr Chekwas Okorie: Chekwas Okorie is the Presidential candidate of the United Progressive Party (UPP). He is also the pioneer National Chairman of the party. Dr Okorie was a close friend to the late Odimegwu Ojukwu and was also one of the founding members of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) before his departure from the party. Okorie has urged Nigerians not to vote for either the APC or the PDP as they are both full of “recycled criminals, former jail birds and corrupt and deceitful politicians.”