INEC Closes Candidate Submission Portal for 2027 Elections

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) closed its dedicated portal for political parties to submit the names and particulars of their candidates for the governorship and State House of Assembly elections for the 2027 general elections at 11:59 p.m. on August 11, 2026. This closure followed a three-day extension granted by INEC, which had initially set the deadline for August 8, 2026.

The extension was approved after appeals from political parties for additional time to complete the nomination process. INEC National Commissioner, Mohammed Kudu Haruna, stated that the extension was in response to growing requests from political parties.

The All Progressives Congress (APC), led by National Chairman Professor Nentawe Yilwatda Goshwe, confirmed full compliance with the upload requirements, while the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), founded by Dr Boniface Aniebonam, reported that it was able to field candidates for over 90 percent of elective positions. INEC has not yet released figures on the number of parties that successfully submitted candidates, stating that data will be reconciled after the portal closure.