APC Knocks Opposition Over Missed INEC Deadline

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has criticised opposition parties for failing to meet the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) deadline for submitting candidates for the 2027 presidential and National Assembly elections, describing the development as evidence of poor organisation and a lack of capacity to govern.

The ruling party made the remarks on Sunday after INEC extended the deadline for submitting candidates’ particulars from July 11 to July 14 following requests from opposition parties.

In a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, the APC said it successfully uploaded the particulars of all its presidential, vice-presidential, Senate and House of Representatives candidates before the original deadline despite fielding candidates nationwide.

“The APC is pleased to announce that it successfully met the Independent National Electoral Commission’s deadline for the submission of names of its candidates for the 2027 Presidential and National Assembly elections,” the statement read.

The party said although INEC acted within its statutory powers by granting the extension, the decision exposed what it called the opposition’s inability to manage its internal affairs.

“It is noteworthy that the extension was necessitated by the stark failure of opposition parties to manage their internal processes to comply with INEC’s submission deadline despite having fewer candidates to manage compared to the APC.

“This development provides yet another clear indication of the opposition’s chronic inherent weakness and raises legitimate questions about their operational capacity. Political parties that cannot efficiently conclude their own internal nomination processes cannot possibly be trusted by Nigerians to possess the competence, discipline or readiness to govern our great nation or its subnational governments,” APC stated.

The APC also accused the opposition of hypocrisy, saying parties that had repeatedly alleged the ruling party influenced INEC’s decisions later sought relief from the same electoral body after missing the deadline.

“It is starkly ironical that the same opposition parties have repeatedly peddled false, malicious and unfounded tales that the APC controls and dictates INEC’s decisions. Yet, as they failed to meet the submission deadline, they shamelessly turned to the same INEC for respite and were granted an extension,” the statement added.

The party said meeting the deadline reflected its organisational discipline, leadership and commitment to due process.

It urged its members to focus on preparations for the 2027 campaigns by strengthening party structures, deepening grassroots mobilisation and promoting the achievements of President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

The APC’s statement comes amid legal and political disputes over preparations for the 2027 general elections.

Several opposition parties have challenged aspects of INEC’s election timetable in court in recent months, while the commission has appealed judgments that nullified parts of the timetable, insisting the schedule is necessary for the orderly conduct of the polls.

The opposition had also sought an extension of INEC’s deadlines, arguing that the timetable left them with insufficient time to conclude their primaries and candidate nomination processes.

Separately, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) is before the Court of Appeal challenging a Federal High Court judgment ordering its deregistration alongside four other political parties.

The appellate court adjourned the matter to July 14, when it is expected to determine whether the affected parties remain eligible to sponsor candidates before INEC publishes its final list.