APC Reviews 700 Petitions, Finalises Candidates Ahead of INEC Deadline

APC Reviews 700 Petitions, Finalises Candidates Ahead of INEC Deadline
Tinubu and his running mate’s details are expected to be uploaded this week.
The party reviewed over 700 petitions before revising its candidates’ list.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has expressed confidence that it will meet the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)’s July 11 deadline for the submission of its presidential and National Assembly candidates for the 2027 general elections.

A senior member of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC), who spoke anonymously, said the process of uploading candidates’ details to the INEC portal had reached an advanced stage.

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EKO HOT BLOG reports that according to the source, the details of President Bola Tinubu and his running mate are expected to be uploaded before the middle of the week.

“We are progressing smoothly with the uploading of the details of our National Assembly candidates,” the source told The Nation.

“We hope that on or before next Wednesday, we shall upload the details of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his running mate. We are completely sure of meeting the July 11 deadline for uploading all our candidates on the INEC portal.”

Checks at the APC’s Information and Communications Technology Department at the Muhammadu Buhari House national secretariat in Abuja indicated that the party’s technical team has continued to access the INEC portal without interruption.

Sources in the department disclosed that the details of most principal officers of the 10th National Assembly and several serving lawmakers had already been uploaded.

They added that the details of Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, Yobe State Governor Mai Mala Buni, Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma and Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun had also been uploaded.

The four governors are among prominent APC members who secured the party’s senatorial tickets ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The submission process follows the party’s review of its primary elections after hundreds of petitions were filed by aggrieved aspirants.

The APC recently submitted a revised list of candidates to INEC after its National Working Committee removed six senatorial candidates and 19 House of Representatives candidates who had initially emerged from the party’s May primaries.

The changes affected constituencies across Abia, Kogi, Taraba, Benue, Ebonyi, Ondo, Kaduna, Niger and Kwara states.

According to party officials, the substitutions were based on recommendations made by the APC Primary Election Appeal Committee.

The revised list was transmitted to INEC through a letter jointly signed by the APC National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, and the National Secretary, Ajibola Basiru.

The APC National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, disclosed that the party received more than 700 petitions from members dissatisfied with the outcome of the primaries.

“The party received over 700 petitions from aggrieved members following the conclusion of our shadow elections,” Morka said.

He explained that the party reviewed the recommendations arising from the petitions, resulting in changes in some constituencies, while candidates whose victories were upheld retained their tickets.

Morka declined to state when the APC would publicly release its final list of candidates.

According to him, the party’s immediate focus is ensuring that all approved candidates complete and return their INEC Form EC9 nomination documents before the commission’s deadline.

“Our absolute immediate priority right now is ensuring that our designated candidates properly complete and return their Form EC9 nomination documents for upload ahead of the strict INEC deadline, rather than focusing on the public release of the list,” he said.

APC Finalises Candidates Ahead

Despite the adjustments made after the appeal process, several high-profile APC members, including serving governors seeking election to the Senate in 2027, retained their party tickets.