The All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) say they have successfully uploaded the details of their presidential, vice-presidential and National Assembly candidates to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) portal after the electoral body extended the submission deadline till tomorrow.
INEC announced that it had shifted the deadline for political parties to submit the names and personal particulars of candidates for the 2027 presidential and National Assembly elections to midnight, following appeals from parties that could not complete the process within the original timeframe.
In a statement signed by the National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Kudu Haruna, the commission said the extension followed a request by the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC).
“The Independent National Electoral Commission has approved the extension of the deadline for submission of lists of candidates for the 2027 Presidential and National Assembly Elections by political parties,” the statement said.
INEC said the decision was aimed at ensuring inclusivity in the electoral process while remaining within the provisions of the law, urging political parties to use the additional time to complete their submissions.
Despite the extension, both the APC and PDP confirmed they had already concluded the upload of their candidates.
APC National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, announced on his verified X account that the ruling party had achieved “100% upload” of its presidential, vice-presidential, Senate and House of Representatives candidates.
“I congratulate our candidates, leaders, and members of APC on the successful 100% upload of our Presidential, Vice Presidential, Senate, and House of Representatives candidates on the INEC Candidate Nomination Portal,” he said.
He added that the party’s attention would now shift to mobilisation and preparations for the 2027 election campaign.
The APC said it uploaded 471 candidates, comprising its presidential and vice-presidential candidates, 109 senatorial candidates and 360 House of Representatives candidates.
The PDP also confirmed completing the process.
In a statement, PDP National Chairman Abdulrahman Mohammed described the exercise as “another milestone” for the opposition party.
“I am pleased to inform all PDP members and Nigerians that our great party, under my leadership, has successfully uploaded the names of our presidential candidate, his running mate, and our National Assembly candidates onto the INEC Candidate Nomination Portal,” he said.
Meanwhile, the APC criticised opposition parties that failed to meet the original deadline, arguing that the delay reflected poor internal organisation.
In a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, the ruling party said the extension highlighted what it described as the opposition’s inability to effectively manage its internal processes.
“Political parties that cannot efficiently conclude their own internal nomination processes cannot possibly be trusted by Nigerians to possess the competence, discipline, or readiness to govern,” Morka said.
He also described as “ironic” claims by opposition parties that the APC influences INEC, noting that those same parties sought and received an extension from the electoral commission after missing the deadline.
The APC said completing its submissions before the initial deadline demonstrated its organisational capacity and commitment to due process as preparations for the 2027 general elections continues.
