THE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has extended the deadline for political parties to submit the names and personal particulars of their candidates for the 2027 presidential and National Assembly elections by three days, while the All Progressives Congress (APC) has confirmed President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima as its presidential ticket for the polls.
News Point Nigeria reports that the deadline, originally scheduled to expire on Saturday, July 11, has now been shifted to midnight on Tuesday, July 14, 2026, following appeals from political parties struggling to complete the submission process through INEC’s online nomination portal.
INEC disclosed the extension in a statement issued on Sunday and signed by its National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Kudu Haruna.
According to the commission, the decision followed an appeal by the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) on behalf of political parties that were unable to complete the upload of their candidates’ details within the stipulated timeframe.
“The Independent National Electoral Commission has approved the extension of the deadline for submission of lists of candidates for the 2027 Presidential and National Assembly Elections, by political parties,” the statement read.
It added: “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.”
INEC said the decision reflects its commitment to ensuring inclusivity in the electoral process while operating within the provisions of the law.
“The extension underscores the Commission’s commitment to ensuring inclusivity in its practices, while acting within the ambit of the law,” the commission stated.
The electoral body urged political parties to take advantage of the additional time to complete the submission process before the new deadline expires.
“The commission enjoins 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,” the statement added.
The extension comes after several political parties experienced difficulties meeting the original deadline for uploading the names and personal particulars of their presidential and National Assembly candidates through INEC’s online nomination portal.
The development came as the APC announced the successful upload of its 471 candidates for the presidential and National Assembly elections to INEC’s Candidate Nomination Portal, confirming Tinubu and Shettima as the party’s presidential ticket for the 2027 general election.
The submissions comprise the presidential and vice-presidential ticket, 109 Senate candidates and 360 House of Representatives candidates, completing the party’s nominations for the offices covered by the portal.
The announcement was made by APC National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, in a statement issued on Sunday, a day after the close of INEC’s portal for the submission of presidential and National Assembly candidates.
Yilwatda congratulated the party’s candidates, leaders and members on the completion of the exercise.
“I congratulate our candidates, leaders, and members of APC on the successful 100 per cent upload of our Presidential, Vice Presidential, Senate, and House of Representatives candidates on the INEC Candidate Nomination Portal (ICNP),” he said.
He added: “With this milestone achieved, our focus now shifts to mobilisation and preparations for a successful campaign and decisive victory at the polls.”
The upload officially confirms Shettima as Tinubu’s running mate for the 2027 presidential election, bringing to an end months of speculation over whether the APC would retain its current presidential ticket.
The development follows INEC’s decision to fix 6 p.m. on Saturday, July 11, as the original deadline for political parties to submit the nomination forms of their presidential and National Assembly candidates through its online portal.
According to the commission’s timetable, political parties received access codes to the portal on June 26, while the submission of Forms EC9 and EC9A to EC9E commenced on June 27 in line with Section 29(1) of the Electoral Act, 2026.