APC beats deadline, uploads 471 candidates to INEC portal

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has completed the submission of its candidates for the 2027 presidential and National Assembly elections, officially confirming President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima as the party’s standard bearers ahead of the polls.

The ruling party said it successfully uploaded the details of 471 candidates to the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) Candidate Nomination Portal (ICNP), covering the presidential and vice-presidential ticket, 109 Senate candidates and 360 House of Representatives candidates.

Announcing the development in a statement on Sunday, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, APC national chairman described the exercise as a significant milestone in the party’s preparations for the 2027 elections.

“I congratulate our candidates, leaders, and members of APC on the successful 100% upload of our Presidential, Vice Presidential, Senate, and House of Representatives candidates on the INEC Candidate Nomination Portal (ICNP),” Yilwatda said.

He added that with the nomination process completed, the party would now channel its energy toward campaigning and voter mobilisation.

“With this milestone achieved, our focus now shifts to mobilisation and preparations for a successful campaign and decisive victory at the polls,” he stated.

The submission effectively puts to rest months of speculation over whether the APC would retain Vice President Kashim Shettima as President Tinubu’s running mate for the next presidential election.

The APC concluded the upload shortly after the close of INEC’s nomination window for presidential and National Assembly candidates.

Under the electoral commission’s timetable, political parties were granted access to the nomination portal on June 26, while the upload of Forms EC9 and EC9A to EC9E commenced on June 27 in accordance with Section 29(1) of the Electoral Act, 2026.