APC Submits 13 Governorship Nominee Forms to INEC
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has uploaded the nomination details of 13 governorship candidates to the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) candidate nomination portal, well before the August 8, 2026 deadline.
A senior party source, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Punch that the documents of five additional governorship candidates are currently being processed. The source added that the submission of state House of Assembly nominees has not yet begun because of technical problems on the INEC portal.
The source expressed confidence that the APC will finish uploading all 28 governorship candidates and their running mates before the deadline.
INEC Timetable and Submission Details
According to INEC’s timetable for the 2027 general elections, parties began submitting nomination forms for governorship and State House of Assembly candidates at 9 am on July 18. The exercise is scheduled to close at 6 pm on August 8, 2026.
INEC had already received presidential and National Assembly nomination lists between June 27 and July 14. The submitted packages include Forms EC9 and EC9A‑EC9E, as required by Section 29(1) of the Electoral Act, 2026.
INEC plans to publish the personal details of presidential and National Assembly candidates on August 8, while governorship and State House of Assembly candidates’ information will be released on August 29.
Candidates Already Uploaded
The APC’s ICT department has so far uploaded the details of the following governorship candidates:
- Obafemi Hamzat (Lagos State)
- Solomon Adeola (Ogun State)
- Umar Bago (Niger State)
- Ahmed Wadada (Nasarawa State)
- Yakubu Danladi (Kwara State)
- Hyacinth Alia (Benue State)
- Ahmed Galadima (Adamawa State)
- Caleb Mutfwang (Plateau State)
The source did not disclose the names of the remaining five candidates whose details have been uploaded.
Party Officials on Progress and Challenges
The senior APC official said, “So far, the party has uploaded the details of 13 governorship candidates, while the documents of five others are being processed by the ICT department. We are confident of completing the upload of all 28 candidates and their deputies before the August 8 INEC deadline.”
Regarding the delay in submitting state House of Assembly nominees, the official explained, “The uploading of state House of Assembly candidates’ details is yet to begin due to technical challenges with the INEC portal. However, our ICT team has already scanned and prepared the documents for immediate upload once the issues are resolved.”
The party is closely monitoring the portal to ensure all documents are submitted within the stipulated period.
Withdrawal and Substitution Windows
Under INEC’s timetable, presidential and National Assembly candidates may withdraw or be substituted until August 22. Governorship and State House of Assembly candidates have until September 19 to withdraw or be replaced by their parties.
Statement from APC Director of Publicity
APC Director of Publicity Bala Ibrahim said the party will conclude the uploading exercise in the coming days and urged candidates to stay loyal to the party’s programmes.
Ibrahim stated, “In the coming days, the party will complete the exercise of uploading our candidate list. We expect the candidates to show loyalty to the policies of the party with which they are going to campaign. The party is campaigning on the mantra of Renewed Hope, and therefore, they should renew the hope of the people and make sure that they work towards delivering democratic dividends.”
He added that candidates are expected to prioritize the welfare of Nigerians and contribute to national development, working to make Nigeria a better place.
Reconciliation Efforts
Ibrahim acknowledged that the emergence of some candidates has caused dissatisfaction among certain party members. He said the APC’s reconciliation committee is working to resolve these disputes before full‑scale campaigns begin.
“As for the disaffection that the emergence of some of these candidates may have caused, the reconciliation committee is working, and we are hoping that, at the end of the day, all grievances will be resolved. All the aggrieved parties will come together and forge ahead,” he concluded.
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