The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has closed the nomination portal for candidates contesting the 2027 general election, triggering widespread reactions from political parties, legal disputes and renewed debate over compliance with the electoral timetable.
As the submission deadline expired, political parties offered conflicting accounts of their compliance with INEC’s nomination process. While some parties confirmed they met the deadline, others denied reports suggesting they failed to submit their candidates, and a few sought additional time to resolve internal challenges.
The Accord Party appealed to INEC for an extension, citing an unresolved internal leadership crisis involving its presidential hopeful, Dr. Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim.
According to party sources, the extension would allow the pending court case over the party’s presidential ticket to be concluded before the nomination process is finalised.
The Social Democratic Party (SDP) admitted experiencing technical difficulties while uploading its candidates’ details to the INEC portal but said the issue was resolved after the commission granted a brief extension. The party confirmed that all its candidates were eventually submitted successfully.
Similarly, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) said it completed the nomination process within the stipulated period and would not require any further extension.
The party reaffirmed its commitment to complying with the Electoral Act and INEC guidelines.
Reacting to reports of a possible extension, INEC’s Director of Voter Education and Publicity, Mrs. Victoria Eta-Messi, said the commission had not taken any decision on extending the deadline and had issued no directive to that effect.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) strongly denied reports alleging it failed to submit its presidential and vice-presidential candidates before the deadline. In a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Jungudo Haruna Mohammed, the party described the claims as false and misleading, insisting that the names and particulars of its presidential ticket were uploaded on July 10, well before the deadline.
The Labour Party (LP) also dismissed similar reports, maintaining that it successfully uploaded the names of its presidential, vice-presidential and National Assembly candidates within the approved timeline. The party urged Nigerians to await INEC’s official publication of validly nominated candidates instead of relying on unverified reports.
Meanwhile, the All Progressives Congress (APC) rejected allegations that it was using INEC and the judiciary to destabilise opposition parties. APC National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, said the ruling party successfully submitted the names of all its candidates before the deadline and argued that the internal crises facing opposition parties were self-inflicted rather than the result of external interference.
In Abuja, the Federal High Court reserved judgment in the suit filed by Accord Party chieftain, Dr. Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, who is seeking an order compelling the party to recognise him as its presidential candidate and forward his name to INEC.
The court said the judgment date would be communicated to all parties.
The Federal High Court also announced the implementation of the Federal High Court (Pre-Election) Practice Directions (Amendment), 2026, aimed at ensuring the speedy and efficient resolution of pre-election disputes ahead of the 2027 polls.
The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) clarified that it deliberately chose not to field a presidential candidate, explaining that the decision followed the party’s endorsement of President Bola Tinubu for a second term. However, APGA confirmed that it successfully submitted candidates for National Assembly and State House of Assembly elections.
Also commenting on recent developments, the Abia State Chairman of the ADC, Don Norman Obinna, welcomed the Appeal Court ruling affecting the party’s leadership and called for reconciliation among aggrieved members to strengthen the party ahead of the elections.
Political analyst and Managing Partner of SBM Intelligence, Ikemesit Effiong, warned that low voter turnout could favour incumbent governments during elections, noting that while many eligible Nigerians have expressed willingness to vote, reduced participation has historically benefited ruling parties.
With the nomination process concluded, attention is expected to shift to INEC’s publication of the final list of validly nominated candidates and the resolution of pending legal disputes that could shape the political landscape ahead of the 2027 general election. Visit www.jocomms.com for more news.
