2027: APC Completes Upload of All Candidates Ahead of Deadline

Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja

Ahead of the 2027 general election, the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, has revealed that the party has successfully uploaded into the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) portal all its candidates into all available elective positions.

Yilwatda, in a statement issued Sunday by his Special Adviser on Media and Information Strategy, Abimbola Tooki, disclosed this at the weekend after the successful completion of the exercise, well ahead of the deadline initially set by INEC.

He added that the successful completion of the upload of the party’s candidates across the country from the state House of Assembly to the president was a demonstration of the APC’s organisational strength, institutional discipline and readiness for the 2027 elections.

The chairman noted that while the APC completed the exercise within the original timeframe, several other political parties were still struggling to meet the deadline and subsequently appealed to INEC for additional time to complete their submissions. 

Following these appeals, INEC extended the deadline from Saturday, August 8, 2026, to Tuesday, August 11, 2026, giving political parties an additional three days to conclude their submissions through the commission’s online portal.

Yilwatda described the development as another clear indication that the party has moved beyond the politics of slogans to the politics of structure, planning, systems and execution.

He noted: “The ability of a political party to successfully coordinate the nomination, documentation, verification and electronic submission of thousands of candidates across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory within a prescribed timeline is a serious test of organisational capacity.

“The APC has once again demonstrated that we are prepared for the responsibility of governing Nigeria. We did not wait until the last minute. 

“We planned ahead, coordinated our structures and ensured that our candidates were successfully uploaded before the expiration of the original deadline. This is what organisation, discipline and responsible political leadership mean.”

Yilwatda added that the successful completion of the exercise was particularly significant because the 2027 elections would be one of the most consequential electoral contests in the history of Nigeria, requiring political parties to demonstrate not only popularity but also capacity, internal coordination and preparedness.

The national chairman stressed that the APC’s performance should also be viewed against the complexity of managing a nationwide political organisation with structures in every state, senatorial district, federal constituency and local government area.

He explained that the exercise required meticulous coordination between the National Secretariat, state chapters, candidates and other relevant party structures.

The chairman noted that the ability to complete the process ahead of schedule reflected the efficiency of the systems being developed under the current leadership of the party.

Yilwatda further stated that the development sends an important message to Nigerians about the importance of organisational capacity in choosing political parties and leaders.

He cautioned Nigerians against political parties that are quick to make ambitious promises about governing the country but are unable to demonstrate basic organisational competence within their own structures.

The chairman added: “Governance is not an experiment. The management of a country as complex as Nigeria requires planning, coordination, discipline, competence and the ability to deliver within deadlines. 

“If a political organisation cannot effectively organise its own internal processes, coordinate its candidates and meet simple statutory and administrative deadlines, Nigerians must ask serious questions about its preparedness to manage the affairs of the nation.

“Political parties seeking the mandate of Nigerians must be judged not only by their campaign rhetoric but also by their internal systems, preparedness, capacity to manage people and resources, and ability to comply with electoral regulations.”

The APC National Chairman said the party’s achievement should therefore not be interpreted merely as the completion of an administrative exercise, but as an important early indicator of its preparedness for the 2027 electoral contest.

He added that having its candidates properly uploaded ahead of the original deadline gives the party greater room to concentrate on the next stages of its electoral preparations, including campaign coordination, candidate engagement, voter mobilisation, grassroots organisation, policy communication and reconciliation across its various structures.

Yilwatda also commended the APC National Working Committee, state party leadership, candidates, election management teams and all party officials who contributed to the successful completion of the exercise.

The chairman said the achievement was a collective victory for the party and another demonstration that the APC remains Nigeria’s most organised and institutionally prepared political movement.

He said: “The work has only begun. Completing the upload ahead of schedule gives us confidence, but it also places a greater responsibility on us. We must remain united, disciplined and focused. 

“We must take our message of Renewed Hope to every community and demonstrate to Nigerians that the APC is not only prepared to contest elections; we are prepared to continue providing responsible leadership for Nigeria,” he said.

The APC National Chairman said the party would continue to put in place the necessary structures and systems to ensure that the 2027 elections become another opportunity for Nigerians to make an informed choice based on competence, continuity, stability and national development.