Nigeria’s major political parties are intensifying efforts to beat the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)’s July 11 deadline for the submission of presidential and National Assembly candidates ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The electoral commission fixed 6:00 p.m. on Saturday, July 11, 2026, as the deadline for political parties to upload the nomination forms of their presidential and National Assembly candidates through its online nomination portal, in accordance with Section 29(1) of the Electoral Act, 2026.
With only days left, party officials are working around the clock to complete documentation and upload candidate details to avoid missing the constitutional timetable.
APC Yet to Announce Tinubu’s Running Mate
While the presidential candidates of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) have already unveiled their running mates, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is yet to officially announce President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s vice-presidential candidate.
Although Vice President Kashim Shettima is widely believed to be the preferred choice, the party has maintained that the final decision rests solely with President Tinubu.
Party insiders say the APC has already uploaded the nomination forms of several National Assembly candidates, including governors seeking Senate seats, while preparations are ongoing for the submission of the President’s nomination before the deadline.
Placeholder Option Still Available
Political observers note that the Electoral Act also allows parties to replace candidates before the withdrawal deadline.
For presidential and National Assembly candidates, substitutions can be made up to August 22, 2026, creating room for parties to submit a placeholder vice-presidential nominee if necessary.
The APC adopted a similar strategy before the 2023 general election when Ibrahim Masari was initially submitted as Bola Tinubu’s running mate before later withdrawing, allowing Kashim Shettima to emerge as the substantive vice-presidential candidate.
ADC and NDC Complete Presidential Uploads
The ADC has confirmed that the names of its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, and running mate, Rotimi Amaechi, have already been submitted through INEC’s online portal.
Likewise, the Nigeria Democratic Congress announced that the nomination forms of Peter Obi and his running mate, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, have also been successfully uploaded.
PDP Still Uploading Candidates
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) disclosed that it has completed about 60 percent of the upload of its National Assembly candidates.
According to party officials, the remaining candidates are expected to be uploaded before the middle of the week as more documents are received from constituencies across the country.
The PDP expressed confidence that it would fully comply with the electoral timetable before the deadline.
INEC Timetable
According to INEC:
July 11, 2026: Deadline for submission of presidential and National Assembly candidates.
July 18 – August 8, 2026: Submission of governorship and State House of Assembly candidates.
August 1: Publication of presidential and National Assembly candidates.
August 22: Deadline for withdrawal or replacement of presidential and National Assembly candidates.
August 29: Publication of governorship and State Assembly candidates.
September 19: Deadline for substitution of governorship and State Assembly candidates.
Why It Matters
The coming days are expected to shape Nigeria’s political landscape as parties race against time to meet INEC’s strict timetable. Attention is particularly focused on the APC, where President Tinubu’s choice of running mate remains one of the biggest unanswered questions ahead of the 2027 election.
This report is based on verified information released by INEC and statements from officials of the APC, ADC, NDC and PDP. Where political parties have made claims regarding candidate submissions, those claims have been attributed accordingly.
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