Wike-Backed PDP, APGA, LP Fail to Submit Presidential Candidates to INEC

Three political parties failed to upload the names of their presidential and vice-presidential candidates to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) portal.

POLITICS NIGERIA reports that as of 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday, nineteen political parties have submitted their presidential candidates.

An INEC official, who spoke on condition of anonymity revealed the affected parties as the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) faction led by Nyesom Wike, and the Labour Party (LP) faction led by Nenadi Usman.

“As of now, only about three political parties are yet to upload the names of their presidential and running mate candidates. They are APGA, the PDP (Wike faction) and the LP (Nenadi faction). Virtually every other party has filed its candidates,” Daily Trust quoted the official.

INEC had extended the deadline from July 11 to July 14 following appeals by political parties, maintaining that no further extension would be granted.

The commission is expected to begin processing the submissions in line with the Electoral Act and its guidelines after the portal closed.

Major political parties successfully completed their submissions before the deadline. The All Progressives Congress (APC) uploaded President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima for re-election, while the African Democratic Congress (ADC) submitted former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and his running mate, Rotimi Amaechi.

The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) also uploaded the names of its presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and his running mate, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.

Although most parties met the deadline, INEC sources said some submitted only the names of their presidential candidates without accompanying running mates.

The submission process also witnessed uncertainty in some states over the identities of National Assembly candidates, with reports of unresolved issues in Benue, Kwara and Nasarawa states.