INEC Extends 2027 Election Candidate Submission Deadline to July 14

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) extended the deadline for political parties to submit candidate lists for the 2027 presidential and National Assembly elections from Saturday, July 11, to midnight on Tuesday, July 14, 2026. The commission initially refused an extension, with National Commissioner Mohammed Kudu Haruna citing the automated nature of the nomination portal. However, INEC reversed this decision following an appeal from the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) on behalf of parties experiencing technical and administrative failures with the online portal.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) criticized the move, stating it had successfully met the original deadline despite managing a large pool of candidates. The ruling party characterized the opposition's need for more time as evidence of "chronic inherent weakness" and operational incapacity. APC representatives further called the appeal hypocritical, noting that the same parties had previously claimed the APC controls INEC's decisions.

While the Peoples Democratic Party and Labour Party later confirmed successful uploads, other parties continued to utilize the extension to avoid disenfranchisement. Civil society group Women Arise opposed the extension, arguing that the original timeline provided sufficient notice. Under the Electoral Act 2026, INEC must publish the final candidate lists by August 1, 2026.