The All Progressives Congress (APC) has criticised the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over its decision to extend the deadline for political parties to upload the names of nominated candidates for the 2027 general elections, accusing the electoral body of yielding to pressure from opposition parties that failed to meet the original timeline.
Key Highlights
- APC kicks as INEC extends deadline for submission of 2027 candidates.
- APC accuses INEC of bowing to pressure from opposition parties.
- INEC says extension followed a request from the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC).
- IPAC cites technical challenges on the INEC Candidate Nomination Portal.
- PDP confirms successful upload of presidential and National Assembly candidates.
- Labour Party says it encountered no major challenges with the exercise.
INEC announced over the weekend that it had extended the deadline for political parties to submit the names and personal particulars of their candidates until Tuesday following appeals from the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC).
In a statement, INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Kudu Haruna, explained that the extension was granted after IPAC requested additional time for political parties that could not complete the upload process within the original deadline.
According to him, the decision reflects the commission’s commitment to ensuring inclusiveness while operating within the provisions of the Electoral Act.
Haruna urged all affected political parties to take advantage of the extension to complete the submission of their candidates.
Read Also:
- Akpabio denies promising return tickets to APC Senators who lost primaries
- Rule of law on trial in Rivers over legality of APC factional leadership
- Tinubu abandoned loyal party members, Okowa wants Delta North as family estate — Ochei explains APC exit
However, reacting in an exclusive interview, APC National Publicity Secretary, Barrister Felix Morka, faulted the decision, insisting that the ruling party complied fully with the original deadline despite fielding candidates for all elective positions.
Morka alleged that opposition parties, many of which were presenting fewer candidates, failed to organise their internal processes and subsequently pressured INEC to extend the submission period.
“The APC fielded candidates for every position available and met the deadline. The pressure on INEC came from opposition parties that could not even manage the smaller number of candidates they had to upload,” Morka said.
He argued that the development exposed what he described as the incompetence and lack of preparedness of opposition parties seeking to govern Nigeria.
According to him, if the APC truly had influence over INEC as often alleged by critics, it would have preferred that the commission retained the original deadline rather than granting an extension that benefits rival parties.
While stressing that the APC respects INEC’s constitutional powers, Morka appealed to the commission not to encourage what he described as inefficiency among political parties.
Meanwhile, the National Chairman of IPAC, Dr. Yusuf Mamman Dantalle, defended the request for an extension, explaining that technical issues with the INEC Candidate Nomination Portal (ICNP) prevented many parties from uploading candidates’ details during the first three days of the exercise.
According to Dantalle, the temporary disruption was beyond the control of both INEC and political parties, prompting IPAC to seek additional time to ensure no party was unfairly excluded from the electoral process.
“We appealed to INEC to recover the time lost during the first three days when political parties could not upload candidates despite having access codes. The commission listened and ensured that no political party was disenfranchised,” he said.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) confirmed that it successfully uploaded the names of its presidential candidate, running mate and National Assembly candidates before the original deadline.
PDP National Chairman, Hon. Abdulrahman Mohammed, described the successful submission as another milestone in the party’s preparations for the 2027 general elections.
He said the party remained committed to contesting all elective positions nationwide and would complete the nomination process for governorship and State House of Assembly candidates.
Similarly, the Labour Party (LP) said it experienced no significant challenges during the upload process.
National Publicity Secretary of the party, Ken Asogwa, confirmed that the exercise progressed smoothly without any major technical or administrative issues.
The extension by INEC comes as political parties intensify preparations for the 2027 general elections, with the submission of candidates marking a critical stage in the electoral timetable.
