- Yields to appeal by IPAC
- Opposition’s failure to meet deadline exposes unpreparedness — APC
By Chesa Chesa & Myke Uzendu
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has extended the deadline for the submission of lists of candidates for the 2027 Presidential and National Assembly elections from Saturday, July 11, to midnight on Tuesday, July 14, 2026.
The Commission said the extension followed an appeal by the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) on behalf of political parties that were unable to upload the names and personal particulars of their candidates within the original timeline.
The decision was announced in a statement issued on Sunday by the National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Kudu Haruna.
According to the Commission, the extension reflects its commitment to promoting inclusivity in the electoral process while operating within the provisions of the law.
INEC urged all political parties yet to complete the nomination process to utilise the additional period to upload the names and required particulars of their candidates before the new deadline expires.
“The extension underscores the Commission’s commitment to ensuring inclusivity in its practices, while acting within the ambit of the law,” the statement said.
The electoral body also advised political parties to take full advantage of the extension, warning that all submissions must be completed before midnight on Tuesday, July 14, 2026.
The submission of candidates is a key milestone in the Commission’s timetable for the 2027 General Election, paving the way for the publication of candidates’ particulars and subsequent stages of the electoral process.
Nonetheless, the All Progressives Congress (APC) has said the inability of opposition political parties to meet the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) deadline for the submission of candidates for the 2027 presidential and National Assembly elections is evidence of their lack of preparedness to govern.
The ruling party made the assertion in a statement issued on Sunday in Abuja by its National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, following INEC’s decision to extend the deadline for the submission of candidates from July 11 to July 14 after requests by some opposition parties.
According to the APC, it successfully complied with the original deadline by uploading the particulars of all its presidential, vice-presidential, Senate and House of Representatives candidates on the INEC Candidate Nomination Portal despite fielding candidates for numerous elective positions across the country.
The party noted that while INEC acted within its statutory powers and administrative discretion in granting the extension, the development exposed what it described as the opposition’s inability to effectively manage its internal processes.
It argued that opposition parties, despite having fewer candidates to process than the APC, were unable to conclude their nomination procedures within the stipulated timeframe.
“The extension was necessitated by the stark failure of opposition parties to manage their internal processes to comply with INEC’s submission deadline despite having fewer candidates to manage compared to the APC,” the statement said.
The APC maintained that the development raised serious concerns about the operational capacity of the opposition, arguing that political parties unable to effectively organise their internal affairs could not be trusted with the responsibility of governing the country.
The party also accused opposition parties of hypocrisy, recalling their previous allegations that the APC influenced INEC’s decisions.
“It is starkly ironical that the same opposition parties have repeatedly peddled false, malicious and unfounded tales that the APC controls and dictates INEC’s decisions. Yet, as they failed to meet the submission deadline, they shamelessly turned to the same INEC for respite and were granted an extension,” the party stated.
The APC further noted that, despite being the party that would have benefited had INEC maintained the original deadline, it did not object to the electoral commission’s decision after completing its own submissions.
According to the ruling party, its timely compliance with the electoral timetable once again demonstrated its organisational strength, internal discipline and commitment to due process.
The party called on its leaders, stakeholders, members and supporters nationwide to shift attention to the next phase of preparations for the 2027 general elections by strengthening party structures, intensifying grassroots mobilisation and promoting the achievements of President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
It also urged members to prepare for what it described as a vigorous, issue-based campaign aimed at securing another electoral mandate for the APC in the 2027 general elections.
