The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has confirmed that the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) successfully submitted the names of its presidential candidate and running mate before the close of nominations for the 2027 general elections.
Speaking on Saturday, INEC National Commissioner, Mohammed Haruna, stated that the commission would not extend the deadline for the submission of presidential and National Assembly candidates, insisting that July 11 remained the final date approved in the electoral timetable.
According to Haruna, 14 political parties had uploaded candidates through the commission’s nomination portal before the deadline.
They include the Action Alliance (AA), African Action Congress (AAC), African Democratic Congress (ADC), All Progressives Congress (APC), All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Labour Party (LP), Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), National Rescue Movement (NRM), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), Social Democratic Party (SDP), Young Progressives Party (YPP), and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP).
He further disclosed that only nine political parties had completed the submission of their presidential candidates and running mates as of Saturday evening.
Those parties are AA, AAC, ADC, APC, NDC, PRP, SDP, YPP, and ZLP.
Haruna explained that while some political parties had yet to conclude the upload of all National Assembly candidates, the commission would not shift the deadline.
He noted that political parties experiencing challenges may still utilise the substitution window provided under the Electoral Act, subject to strict compliance with the commission’s guidelines.
The INEC commissioner also clarified that failure to complete uploads before the deadline does not automatically exclude a political party from participating in the elections, provided any subsequent substitutions follow the procedures laid down by law.
Meanwhile, the Young Progressives Party (YPP) appealed to INEC to extend the submission deadline, citing technical challenges encountered on the commission’s nomination portal.
However, the electoral body maintained that the timetable would remain unchanged.
Similarly, civil society organisation Women Arise opposed any extension, arguing that political parties were given sufficient time to conduct their primaries and submit candidates in line with the electoral timetable.
INEC reiterated its commitment to a transparent and credible electoral process, stressing that only candidates who emerged from duly monitored party primaries and whose nominations comply with the Electoral Act would be accepted for the 2027 general elections.
