Wen be di deadline for political parties to submit candidate lists for 2027 general elections

Nigeria electoral bodi, di Independent National Electoral Commission (Inec) dey expect list of candidates from different registered political parties wey dey participate for di 2027 general election. But wen be deadline for submission?

From Bola Tinubu of di All Progressives Congress (APC) to Peter Obi of di Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Atiku Abubakar of di African Democratic Congress (ADC) and odas - Inec still gatz confam and publish dia names as official candidates of dia respective parties.

Dis na based on di guidelines of di Electoral Act 2026, so parties wey no submit dia candidate names or list no fit contest for di election.

Wit about six months to di 2027 general elections for president, govnors, senators, House of Representatives and State Houses of Assembly - Inec timetable make am clear how di election go waka.

Na since May 2026 political parties don conclude dia primaries to elect di different candidates wey go represent dem for ballot.

While some political parties alreadi announce who dia candidates be for presidential election, senatorial and govnorship, some parties still get court case to settle.

However, as all of dis dey go on, di Inec timetable in line wit di Electoral Act 2026 clearly state wen all parties suppose complete submission of dia candidate list.

Deadline to submit party candidate lists

According to Section 29(1) of di Electoral Act 2026, e provide say make political parties submit list of dia candidate not later dan 120 days bifor di election.

Now, inside Inec election timetable, na from 27 June 2026 reach 11 July be di timeline for di submission of presidential and National Assembly candidate list.

Di timeline for govnorship and State Houses of Assembly na from 18 July to 8 August 2026.

According to Inec, di submission of di candidates details na through dia portal and di political parties go do dat one afta dem get access code for di submission of nomination forms.

Meanwhile, Inec don organise training for all political parties to teach dem how dem go fit upload dia candidate details to di portal to avoid any dispute.

Inec National Commissioner, May Agbamuche-Mbu, say candidate nomination na important stage of di electoral process.

"Nomination of candidates remain one of di most critical stages of di electoral process. Na di foundation wey we dey conduct elections, Without duly nominated candidates, no electoral contest fit hold."

Wat next for Inec and political parties submission of candidates lists?

Afta submission of nomination forms by political parties, di next tin wey Inec go do na to publish di details of di candidates.

Dis dey in line wit section 29(3) of di Electoral Act. 2026 wey state di publication of di candidate list within 21 days wey dem receive am.

Na 1 August Inec go publish names of Presidential and National Assembly candidates while dat of Govnorship and state house of assembly go come out on 29 August, 2026.

Wit dis, political parties go fit begin campaigns ahead of di 2027 election starting wit di presidential and national assembly, bifor state go come follow.

Also, di Inec timetable still make am possible for political parties to withdraw and replace candidates - inline wit Section 31 of di Electoral Act 2026 wey provide not later dan 90 days to di election.

Political parties get till 22 August and 19 September for withdrawal of any candidate wey dem wan replace for federal and state seats respectively.

Again, afta di whole activities, Inec go come still publish anoda final list of candidates and dia parties, atleast 60 days bifor di election.

Dis final list go remain unchanged till election date, and campaigns go kontinue for di parties.

Wetin go happun to parties wey get court cases

Meanwhile, e get some political parties wey get issues to solve bifor di 2027 election and some of di cases dey court.

For dose wey get election primaries wahala, Inec cut warning for di political parties say any primary election wey dem do outside May 30 deadline no go stand.

For June 2026, federal High Court for Abuja order Inec to remove ADC, Action Peoples Party (APP), Action Alliance (AA), Accord Party (AP), and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) from dia register.

Di accusations na say di parties fail to win elective seats for di general and bye election or meet minimum requirements for elections.

Later for dat same June, di court of appeal for Abuja come suspend di execution of di judgement wey make dem deregister di political parties.

Di court tok say di order by di federal high court for Abuja violate di judgement of di Appeal court.

For oda cases, some parties get multiple candidates sake of factions wey dey di party.

Na di submission of candidate list and publication by Inec go finally settle di cases of who dey recognised to represent di party for election.

Di Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) na one party wey get dis issue of multiple candidates.