Major political parties have commenced uploading the names of their governorship and State House of Assembly candidates to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Candidate Nomination Portal (ICNP) ahead of the August 8 deadline.

The All Progressives Congress (APC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and Labour Party (LP) expressed confidence that they would complete the exercise within the stipulated timeframe.

The APC has already begun uploading candidates, prioritising 16 incumbent governors seeking second terms and 12 first-time governorship candidates. The party also constituted a vetting committee to verify nomination documents before submission.

The PDP confirmed it had started uploading candidates’ details after receiving its access codes from INEC, while the Labour Party said it was fully prepared and would comply with the commission’s guidelines.

The upload exercise, which runs from July 18 to August 8, covers governorship candidates, their running mates, and State House of Assembly candidates ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Former APC National Chairman Umar Abdullahi Ganduje and Senator Rufa’i Hanga expressed confidence that the opposition would struggle to defeat President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election, citing the ruling party’s political strength and grassroots support.

Meanwhile, Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate Peter Obi said it was too early to judge INEC Chairman Joash Amupitan, stressing that the electoral umpire should be assessed based on his conduct during the elections.

Obi also urged Nigerians, particularly young people, to remain committed to the democratic process.

Adeleke University President, Dr. Deji Adeleke, called for greater integrity in Nigeria’s electoral process, saying electoral malpractice should not be blamed solely on the INEC chairman. He urged election officials and security personnel to uphold transparency and accountability during future polls. Visit www.jocomms.com for more news.