The All Progressives Congress (APC) has criticised opposition political parties over their inability to meet the Independent National Electoral Commission’s deadline for the submission of candidates for the 2027 presidential and National Assembly elections, describing the development as evidence that they are unprepared to govern.
The ruling party made the assertion in a statement issued on Sunday by its National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, through the party’s official X handle.
According to the APC, it successfully completed the upload of its presidential, vice-presidential, Senate and House of Representatives candidates before the July 11 deadline set by INEC, despite fielding a larger number of candidates across the various elective positions.
“The All Progressives Congress is pleased to announce that it successfully met the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) deadline for the submission of names of its candidates for the 2027 Presidential and National Assembly elections.
“Our great Party satisfied this requirement despite the large number of Party candidates contesting on the Party’s platform for the various elective offices,” the statement read.
The party noted that INEC subsequently extended the submission deadline to July 14 following appeals from opposition parties seeking additional time to conclude their nomination processes.
While acknowledging that the electoral umpire acted within its legal powers in granting the extension, the APC argued that the request exposed serious organisational deficiencies within the opposition.
“While INEC acted within its statutory powers and administrative discretion in extending the deadline for opposition parties to upload names of their candidates, 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,” it said.
The ruling party maintained that the inability of opposition parties to complete what it described as a routine administrative process raises questions about their capacity to manage the affairs of government.
According 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.”
The party also accused opposition groups of contradicting themselves over their long-standing criticism of INEC, recalling previous allegations that the commission was under the influence of the APC.
It argued that those same parties had now turned to the electoral body for relief after failing to meet the submission 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.
“And the same APC that would have been the obvious beneficiary if INEC had stood firm on its original deadline, kept its distance, having met the deadline and completed its submission. Again, this underscores the oppositions’ hypocrisy, and true character as peddlers of fake news and merchants of blackmail,” the statement added.
The APC further said its timely submission of the particulars of all its candidates demonstrated the party’s commitment to due process, discipline and effective internal organisation.
“With the successful upload of particulars of all its Presidential, Vice Presidential, Senate, and House of Representatives candidates on the INEC Candidate Nomination Portal, APC has, again, demonstrated its leadership and superior organisational capacity, discipline, and solid commitment to due process,” the party stated.
As preparations for the 2027 general elections gather momentum, the APC called on its leaders, members and supporters to intensify mobilisation efforts across the country.
The statement urged party faithful to consolidate support for the Tinubu administration by highlighting its achievements and strengthening grassroots structures ahead of the campaigns.
“As we conclude this important phase of the electoral process, we call on all Party leaders, stakeholders, members, and supporters to turn their full attention to the task ahead.
“We must remain focused and continue to strengthen our structures at all levels, increase awareness of the massive achievements under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, deepen grassroots mobilisation, and prepare for a vigorous, issue-based campaign that will earn our great Party a renewed mandate in the 2027 general elections,” it added.
(Ripples)