INEC Source Says APC, PDP, ADC, Others Failed to Meet July 11 Candidate Submission Deadline

Contrary to public claims by several political parties, fresh information from sources within the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) indicates that no party met the original July 11 deadline for uploading candidates for the 2027 presidential and National Assembly elections.

According to multiple INEC officials familiar with the process, even the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), which announced it had complied with the deadline, failed to complete the upload before the commission extended the submission period to July 14.

“As of July 11 deadline, before the extension to July 14, over 70 per cent of candidates in the APC had not been uploaded by the party. No party met that deadline. The commission had to bend backwards to accommodate them. In fact, the commission opened its back-end to be able to do that,” an INEC source disclosed.

The revelation contradicts the APC’s July 12 statement, in which it said it successfully submitted its candidates before the deadline and claimed the extension was granted solely because opposition parties requested more time.

INEC, however, said the extension followed an appeal from the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), representing political parties that were unable to complete the upload of candidates’ names and personal particulars within the scheduled period.

The electoral commission’s position was communicated by National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Kudu Haruna.

While acknowledging INEC’s authority to extend the deadline, APC spokesman Felix Morka blamed opposition parties for their inability to meet the submission schedule.

“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,” he said.

The APC further stated:

“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.”

However, INEC sources maintained that the extension was prompted by delays affecting all political parties, including the APC.

The development comes amid fresh internal disputes within the ruling party.

Protesters from the APC in Benue State’s Apa State Constituency demonstrated at the party’s national secretariat, alleging the planned imposition of a candidate ahead of the primary election.

The demonstrators called on the APC National Working Committee to ensure a transparent nomination process, warning that candidate imposition could damage party unity and electoral prospects.

They also criticised party leader Sonny Echono, alleging limited grassroots involvement, and insisted that only a free, fair and credible primary election would guarantee justice for all aspirants.

At the time of filing this report, the APC had not officially responded to the protesters’ allegations, which had not been independently verified.

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