Delays in the release of final candidate lists by several major political parties have sparked concerns over possible internal crises and strategic political manoeuvring ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Weeks after concluding their primaries, parties including the All Progressives Congress (APC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), African Democratic Congress (ADC), Labour Party (LP) and Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) are yet to publish definitive lists of candidates for various elective offices.

The delay has created uncertainty among governorship, National Assembly and State Assembly aspirants, with some expressing fears that the prolonged process could pave the way for candidate substitutions and legal disputes.

Party officials, however, attributed the delay to ongoing reviews of petitions arising from the primaries, appeal committee processes and the need to resolve internal grievances before finalising nominations.

Some political observers believe the postponement is a strategy to manage intra-party tensions and prevent further divisions, while others argue it reflects deeper internal challenges within the affected parties.

The development has intensified debate over transparency in the candidate nomination process as political parties prepare to submit their final lists to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).