THE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has extended the deadline for political parties to submit the names and credentials of candidates seeking to contest the 2027 presidential and National Assembly elections.
The electoral body announced that parties now have until midnight on Tuesday, July 14, to complete the process, pushing back the earlier deadline of Saturday, July 11.
Parties Face Difficulties Meeting Deadline
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.
In a statement issued on Sunday, INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Haruna, explained that the extension followed a formal request from the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC).
According to Haruna, 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.
Commission Urges Parties to Utilise Extension
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.
The commission urged political parties to take advantage of the additional time to finalise and upload all required information ahead of the revised deadline.
“The Commission enjoins political parties to take advantage of this window of opportunity and ensure that all necessary details are uploaded before the expiration of the new deadline,” the statement added.
The move comes after INEC previously extended the nationwide Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) by two weeks, signalling the commission’s commitment to ensuring broad participation in the electoral process.
Political parties are now expected to intensify efforts to complete their candidate nominations ahead of Tuesday’s midnight deadline, as the countdown to the 2027 general election continues.
