The All Progressives Congress (APC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Labour Party (LP) say they are on track to meet the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) August 8 deadline for the submission of governorship and State House of Assembly candidates through the Candidate Nomination Portal (ICNP).
Gatekeepers News reports that while the APC has already begun uploading candidates’ details, the PDP and LP said they have put the necessary arrangements in place to complete the exercise within the timeframe set by the electoral commission.
Checks at the APC National Headquarters in Abuja showed that the party’s Information and Communications Technology (ICT) department began processing nomination documents on Saturday in preparation for the 2027 general elections.
The ruling party is prioritising the digital upload of 16 incumbent governors seeking second terms, alongside first-time governorship candidates and 993 State House of Assembly flagbearers across the country.
To ensure a smooth process, the APC constituted a vetting committee headed by Jibrin Bancir, Principal Private Secretary to the party’s National Chairman.
“The committee is saddled with the responsibility of collecting and verifying all nomination forms from state chairmen before handing them over to the ICT unit. We are leaving nothing to chance ahead of the August 8 deadline for the closure of the INEC portal,” a source within the party’s National Working Committee said.
The PDP also dismissed concerns over the 22-day submission window, insisting it had already commenced uploading candidates’ details after receiving its access credentials.
National Publicity Secretary, Jungudo Haruna Mohammed, said the party was adequately prepared for the exercise.
“As a matter of fact, we have our access codes, and we have already started uploading these names. We have strategically positioned sufficient manpower to upload the details of our State House of Assembly and governorship candidates.”
“We will do this seamlessly and upload them successfully within the timeframe allocated by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC),” he added.
The Labour Party also expressed confidence in meeting the deadline, saying possession of the required access codes had eliminated any concerns about the process.
“We are not anxious over any issue here. It is only when a political party lacks access codes that there is cause for concern. The Labour Party has its access codes, and the upload will be done in line with INEC’s guidelines,” a party source said.
The submission window, which opened on July 18, will close on August 8. Political parties are expected to upload the names of governorship candidates, their running mates and State House of Assembly candidates through INEC’s online nomination portal.
Ganduje, Hanga Doubt Opposition’s Chances in 2027
Meanwhile, former APC National Chairman Umar Abdullahi Ganduje and Senator Rufa’i Hanga expressed confidence that the opposition would struggle to unseat President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election.
Speaking at a public event in Kano, Ganduje argued that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate Peter Obi lacked the grassroots support needed in northern Nigeria to defeat Tinubu.
“The North is strategic in every presidential election. With due respect to our friends in the opposition, neither Peter Obi nor Atiku Abubakar can mobilise enough support in this region to defeat President Tinubu in 2027,” he said.
He also urged INEC to strengthen the requirements for political party registration, saying only parties with functional structures, clear ideologies and nationwide presence should be recognised.
Hanga, on his part, said the NDC ticket of Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso had little chance of winning the presidency, arguing that neither enjoyed sufficient national support.
Addressing speculation about his possible defection to the APC, Hanga dismissed claims that pursuing another political platform would amount to betrayal.
“Now, if I leave Kwankwaso, nobody can say I betrayed anybody. If anyone says I betrayed someone, I will recommend that person be sent to Goron Dutse Prison or Dawanau Psychiatric Hospital,” he said.
Obi Calls for Fair Elections, Adeleke Faults Poll Officials
Elsewhere, Peter Obi said it was premature to judge the performance of INEC Chairman Joash Amupitan ahead of the 2027 elections, describing the electoral umpire as a referee whose performance should be assessed only after the polls.
“I have not met him yet, and for me, he’s a referee, and you can’t decide if a referee will do the right thing or the wrong thing,” Obi said during an interview in Germany.
He urged young Nigerians to remain actively involved in the democratic process, stressing that the country’s future depended on citizens’ participation.
Businessman and President of Adeleke University, Deji Adeleke, also called for greater accountability during elections, arguing that electoral malpractice cannot be blamed solely on INEC.
He alleged that some National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members and police officers compromise election results at polling units.
“You cannot blame that on the INEC chairman when youth corps members are collecting N50,000 and changing figures at the polling unit. Even if the INEC chairman is a spirit, is he going to be at all the polling units in Nigeria?” he said.
Adeleke also criticised election violence, result manipulation and judicial misconduct, urging Nigerians entrusted with public responsibilities to uphold integrity.
“It’s not too late for us to change. It’s never too late to start all over,” he said.
