Political parties across Nigeria are under intense pressure to beat the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) deadline for the submission of presidential and National Assembly candidates for the 2027 general elections.
INEC fixed 6:00 p.m. on Saturday, July 11, 2026, as the deadline for political parties to upload the nomination forms of their presidential and National Assembly candidates through its online nomination portal.
The submission exercise, which began on June 27, covers Forms EC9 and EC9A to EC9E, in line with the Electoral Act, 2026.
As the deadline approaches, major parties are working round the clock to complete the upload of candidates’ details.
The ruling APC said it had successfully uploaded the names of several National Assembly candidates, including many serving lawmakers, while the nominations of key governorship candidates have also been submitted.
Party officials expressed confidence that the presidential ticket would be uploaded before the deadline.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) disclosed that it had completed about 60 per cent of the upload of its National Assembly candidates, with the remaining submissions expected to be finalised before the deadline.
Party officials attributed the delay to the late submission of documents by some candidates but maintained that the exercise was progressing smoothly.
Meanwhile, opposition parties, including the ADC and NDC, have announced that they have uploaded the names of their presidential candidates and running mates.
However, some smaller parties have complained of challenges relating to access codes required for the upload process, although INEC insists the necessary credentials were issued after mandatory training for party representatives.
Under INEC’s timetable, the personal particulars of presidential and National Assembly candidates will be published on August 1, while the submission of governorship and State House of Assembly candidates will commence on July 18 and end on August 8 as preparations for the 2027 general elections gather momentum.
