The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has shifted the deadline for political parties to submit the names and credentials of candidates seeking to contest the 2027 presidential and National Assembly elections.
INEC announced that parties now have until midnight on Tuesday, July 14, to complete the process, extending the earlier deadline of Saturday, July 11.
Explaining the decision, INEC said the extension followed appeals from political parties that had encountered difficulties meeting the deadline.
A statement issued on Sunday by the National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Haruna, said the request was formally conveyed through the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC).
According to him, IPAC sought additional time on behalf of parties that were yet to complete the submission of their candidates’ details through the commission’s portal.
“The decision to extend was based on appeal by the Inter-Party Advisory Council, on behalf of political parties who were unable to upload the names and personal particulars of their candidates within the scheduled timeline,” Haruna stated.
INEC noted that the extension is intended to give all eligible parties a fair opportunity to comply with the requirements of the electoral process while remaining within the framework of the law.
Under INEC’s timetable for the 2027 general election, political parties were expected to upload the names and personal particulars of their presidential, Senate and House of Representatives candidates before the initial cut-off date.
