The All Progressives Congress (APC) has successfully uploaded its candidates for all elective positions ahead of the 2027 general elections, completing the exercise before the Independent National Electoral Commission's (INEC) original deadline of Saturday, August 8, 2026. The party's National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, made the announcement on Sunday, August 9, 2026, in a statement issued through his Special Adviser on Media and Information Strategy, Abimbola Tooki, as reported by The Punch.
Submission Across All States and FCT
The submission covered thousands of candidates across all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), spanning positions from State House of Assembly seats to the presidency. This comprehensive upload demonstrates the party's organizational capacity and readiness for the upcoming electoral contest.
INEC had originally set the deadline for candidate submission, but later extended it by three days to Tuesday, August 11, following appeals from political parties that had not completed their submissions. The APC's early completion sets it apart from other parties that struggled to meet the initial timeline.
Party Readiness and Coordination
Yilwatda emphasized that the early completion reflected the party's ability to coordinate its national secretariat, state chapters, candidates, and election management teams at scale. He described the exercise as one of the more demanding internal processes the party had undertaken, given the number of candidates requiring nomination, documentation, verification, and electronic submission.
"The APC has once again demonstrated that we are prepared for the responsibility of governing Nigeria. We did not wait until the last minute. We planned ahead, coordinated our structures and ensured that our candidates were successfully uploaded before the expiration of the original deadline. This is what organisation, discipline and responsible political leadership mean," Yilwatda said.
Governance and Organizational Capacity
Yilwatda drew a direct connection between a party's internal administrative record and its fitness to govern, arguing that voters should weigh organizational capacity alongside campaign promises when making decisions ahead of 2027. He stressed that governance requires planning, coordination, discipline, and competence.
"Governance is not an experiment. The management of a country as complex as Nigeria requires planning, coordination, discipline, competence and the ability to deliver within deadlines. If a political organisation cannot effectively organise its own internal processes, coordinate its candidates and meet simple statutory and administrative deadlines, Nigerians must ask serious questions about its preparedness to manage the affairs of the nation," he added.
Next Steps for APC
With the submission phase concluded, Yilwatda said the party's focus would now shift to campaign coordination, grassroots mobilization, policy communication, and reconciliation efforts within its structures. He commended members of the National Working Committee, state party leadership, and other officials involved in the process, calling the outcome a collective effort.
"The work has only begun. Completing the upload ahead of schedule gives us confidence, but it also places a greater responsibility on us. We must remain united, disciplined and focused," Yilwatda stated.
Looking Ahead to 2027
The 2027 elections are expected to be keenly contested, with opposition parties aiming to make gains at both federal and state levels. Candidate submission to INEC is one of the early statutory steps in the electoral calendar, and parties must complete the process after their internal nomination exercises. The APC's early completion positions it as a well-prepared contender, but the party faces the challenge of maintaining momentum and unity as the campaign season intensifies.
