INEC Extends Deadline to Submit Presidential, N’Assembly List of Candidates

*APC: Extension shows opposition not ready for 2027 polls

Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja 

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has approved the extension of the deadline for submission of lists of candidates for the 2027 Presidential and National Assembly Elections by political parties. 

INEC National Commissioner & Chair, Information & Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Haruna, in a statement, said 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.

He noted: “The decision to extend was based on appeal by the Inter-Party Advisory Council, on behalf of political parties who were unable to upload the names and personal particulars of their candidates within the scheduled timeline. 

“The extension underscores the Commission’s commitment to ensuring inclusivity in its practices, while acting within the ambit of the law.”

The Commission urged political parties to take advantage of this window of opportunity and ensure that all necessary details are uploaded before the expiration of the new deadline.

APC: Extension Shows Opposition Parties Not Ready for 2027 Elections

The All Progressives Congress (APC), has said the decision by INEC to extend the deadline for the submission of names of its candidates for the 2027 Presidential and National Assembly elections showed the opposition parties were not prepared for the 2027 elections.

Its National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, in a statement announced that the ruling party successfully met the deadline and satisfied the requirement despite the large number of party candidates contesting for the various elective offices.

The party, it was gathered, uploaded the credentials of all 471 of its flagbearers for the 2027 presidential and National Assembly elections to INEC Candidate Nomination Portal (ICNP).

Morka noted: “At the request of opposition political parties that had failed to meet the July 11 deadline, INEC granted an extension of the deadline to July 14, 2026.

“While INEC acted within its statutory powers and administrative discretion in extending the deadline for opposition parties to upload names of their candidates, it is noteworthy that 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.

“This development provides yet another clear indication of the opposition’s chronic inherent weakness and raises legitimate questions about their operational capacity. 

“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 or its subnational governments.”

Morka added that it is 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,” he noted.