APC Completes 2027 Candidate Upload, Faults Opposition As INEC Extends Deadline To July 14
Njideka Ozoalor
The All Progressives Congress says it has met the Independent National Electoral Commission’s deadline for uploading candidates for the 2027 general elections, even as INEC granted a three-day extension to other political parties that failed to beat the July 11 cutoff.
In a statement on Sunday signed by National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, the ruling party said it had successfully uploaded the particulars of its presidential, vice-presidential, senate and House of Representatives candidates on the INEC nomination portal.
“With the successful upload of particulars of all its Presidential, Vice Presidential, Senate, and House of Representatives candidates on the INEC Candidate Nomination Portal, APC has, again, demonstrated its leadership and superior organisational capacity, discipline, and solid commitment to due process,” the statement read.
#### *INEC grants extension after IPAC appeal*
INEC had fixed Saturday, July 11, 2026, as the deadline for political parties to submit names and personal details of candidates for the 2027 Presidential and National Assembly elections.
But in a statement issued on July 12, National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Kudu Haruna, said the Commission had extended the deadline to midnight, Tuesday, July 14, 2026.
The extension, according to INEC, followed a request by the Inter-Party Advisory Council on behalf of parties that were unable to complete uploads within the stipulated time.
“The deadline for submission in the Revised Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the 2027 General Election being Saturday 11th July 2026 has been extended to midnight on Tuesday 14th July, 2026”.
INEC said the decision was taken to promote inclusivity while remaining within the provisions of the law, and urged parties to use the additional window to complete their submissions.
#### *APC criticizes opposition parties*
The APC linked the extension directly to the opposition, saying it 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 party described the development as evidence of “chronic inherent weakness” and questioned the opposition’s capacity to govern.
“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,” Morka said.
“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 our great nation.”
#### *What next for 2027*
The APC said the conclusion of its candidate upload allows the party to shift focus to mobilisation and campaigning ahead of 2027.
The party urged leaders and members to “strengthen our structures at all levels, increase awareness of the massive achievements under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, deepen grassroots mobilisation, and prepare for a vigorous, issue-based campaign.”
On Friday, APC leaders including National Chairman Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda received the completed nomination forms of President Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima. The party said the forms were uploaded Friday night, ahead of the original deadline.
With the new July 14 deadline now in place, all political parties have until Tuesday midnight to finalize candidate submissions before INEC moves to the next phase of activities for the 2027 general elections.
