With the July 11, 2026 deadline for the submission of presidential nomination forms to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) fast approaching, political parties are making last-minute efforts to complete the nomination process.
INEC fixed 6:00 p.m. on July 11 as the deadline for political parties to submit the nomination forms of their presidential and National Assembly candidates through its online nomination portal. The exercise, which began on June 27, involves the submission of Forms EC9 and EC9A to EC9E in accordance with Section 29(1) of the Electoral Act, 2026.
The commission also scheduled the submission of nomination forms for governorship and State Houses of Assembly candidates from July 18 to August 8, while the personal particulars of presidential and National Assembly candidates will be published on August 1. Governorship and State Assembly candidates’ particulars will be published on August 29.
Among the major presidential contenders, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has named former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi as the running mate to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, while the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has paired Peter Obi with former Kano State Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso.
However, President Bola Tinubu, the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has yet to formally announce his running mate, despite widespread speculation that he will retain Vice President Kashim Shettima.
A decision to retain Shettima would put to rest months of speculation over the APC ticket following reports of strained relations between the President and his deputy. The rumours intensified after an APC North-East stakeholders’ meeting in Gombe descended into chaos when supporters of Shettima allegedly attacked the party’s zonal vice chairman, Mustapha Salihu, over the omission of the Vice President’s name during endorsements for Tinubu.
Tinubu secured the APC presidential ticket during the party’s nationwide primaries held on May 23, 2026, defeating his sole challenger, Stanley Osifo, by a landslide. He received his Certificate of Return the following day in Abuja but has yet to unveil his running mate.
The APC has maintained that the choice of a running mate remains the President’s exclusive decision.
Of the major parties, only the APC and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), whose presidential candidate is Sandy Onor, are yet to announce their vice-presidential candidates.
Placeholder Option Still Available
Although July 11 is the deadline for submitting presidential nominations, INEC’s timetable allows political parties to withdraw and replace presidential and National Assembly candidates until August 22.
This provision means the APC could adopt the strategy it used in 2022 by submitting Tinubu’s nomination alongside a placeholder vice-presidential candidate before replacing the nominee ahead of the substitution deadline.
Ahead of the 2023 election, Tinubu initially submitted the name of Ibrahim Masari as a placeholder vice-presidential candidate before Masari withdrew, allowing Shettima to emerge as the substantive running mate. Masari later served in Tinubu’s administration as Senior Special Assistant on Political Matters before being appointed Special Adviser on Political Affairs.
APC Says Upload Process Progressing Smoothly
Party sources disclosed that the APC has already uploaded the nomination details of several House of Representatives and Senate candidates, including those of prominent lawmakers and serving governors seeking Senate seats.
According to one senior party source, the nomination forms of Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, Yobe State Governor Mai Mala Buni, and Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma have already been uploaded to the INEC portal.
The source expressed confidence that Tinubu’s nomination and that of his running mate would be submitted before the deadline.
“We have covered a lot of ground. The uploading of candidates is going as planned. Our leaders and stakeholders are working round the clock to ensure all candidates are uploaded before the July 11 deadline,” the source said.
Another APC official described the exercise as seamless and transparent, adding that the party remained committed to complying fully with the INEC timetable.
ADC, NDC Confirm Submissions
Officials of both the ADC and NDC confirmed that their presidential candidates’ nomination forms had already been uploaded to the INEC portal.
NDC national leader Seriake Dickson confirmed the submission of Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso’s nomination, while ADC spokesman Bolaji Abdullahi said the party had successfully uploaded the nomination forms of Atiku Abubakar and Rotimi Amaechi.
PDP Nears Completion
The Peoples Democratic Party also said it had completed approximately 60 percent of the upload of its National Assembly candidates.
PDP National Organising Secretary Umar Bature explained that about 169 nominations were still pending due to delayed submission of documents by some candidates.
He expressed optimism that the exercise would be completed before the deadline, noting that uploads were being carried out daily as documentation was received.

By Okey Maduforo, Awka
No fewer than 18 local government chairmen of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Anambra State, alongside 22 members of the State Executive Committee (SEC) and 28 party aspirants, have distanced themselves from a meeting convened by factional chairman, Chief Ifeanyi Osegbo, reaffirming their loyalty to the state chairman, Senator Emma Anosike.
The show of support comes amid the lingering leadership crisis rocking the party following legal proceedings that sought to challenge Anosike’s leadership. The state APC executive has consistently dismissed the court process as lacking the support of the party’s recognized leadership.
Speaking on behalf of the local government chairmen, the Acting Chairman of the Forum and APC Chairman of Awka North Local Government Area, Sir Johnbosco Aniaracha, said the chairmen, executive members and aspirants deliberately stayed away from what they described as a “kangaroo meeting.”
“We, the local government chairmen of our great party, hereby distance ourselves and the State Working Committee from the kangaroo meeting organized by individuals who have been expelled from the party,” Aniaracha said.
He further argued that those laying claim to the party’s leadership had taken the party to court without first exhausting the internal conflict-resolution mechanisms provided in the APC constitution.
“It is on record that those laying claim to the executive of the party are the same individuals who took the party to court without exhausting the constitutional provisions for resolving disputes. Consequently, we cannot be part of the said meeting or the so-called historic takeover,” he added.
Aniaracha urged party faithful to remain calm and law-abiding, describing the actions of the opposing faction as attempts by “fifth columnists” to undermine the party’s chances in future elections.
The group reaffirmed its confidence in the Anosike-led executive, insisting it remains the only legitimate leadership of the APC in Anambra State.
According to them, any parallel structure or gathering outside the recognized leadership is merely a distraction and will not derail the party’s preparations for the forthcoming National Assembly, State Assembly and local government elections.

By Okey Maduforo, Awka
The leadership crisis rocking the Anambra State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) escalated on Sunday as a factional executive led by Chief Ifeanyi Osegbo reportedly moved to take over the party’s state secretariat in Awka.
However, the executive led by Senator Emma Anosike described the move as unlawful and warned party members against attending any meeting convened by the rival faction.
The dispute stems from a Federal High Court judgment which the Osegbo faction claims affirmed its leadership. The Anosike camp, however, insists the judgment has been misrepresented, describing it as flawed and arguing that neither Senator Emma Anosike nor the party’s State Secretary was joined as a party in the suit. According to the group, the National Working Committee (NWC) and the APC National Chairman were the only defendants in the case.
The Anosike-led executive further argued that any attempt by the Osegbo faction to take over the state secretariat must first be backed by the National Working Committee, which it said remains the only authority empowered to effect such a change.
The group also maintained that security agencies, including personnel deployed by the Inspector-General of Police, continue to recognise Senator Emma Anosike as the authentic chairman of the party in Anambra State.
Despite this, members of the Osegbo faction reportedly arrived at the party secretariat on Sunday to assume control, although the keys to the offices remain in the custody of the Anosike-led executive.
Defending the move, the faction’s Legal Adviser, Barrister Rich Egenti, insisted that the court judgment had already been fully executed.
“There is nothing left to stay. Mere filing of a stay of execution at the Court of Appeal after full execution of the judgment does not amount to a stay. Those challenging the judgment should approach the Court of Appeal and obtain the appropriate order instead of circulating propaganda,” Egenti said.
He added that the Chief Registrar of the Federal High Court had acknowledged that the execution process had been concluded.
“Any attempt by any person or group to stop the lawful assembly of the Anambra APC will be deemed contemptuous and illegal and shall be vehemently resisted,” he stated.
Responding, the Anosike-led executive said it had already taken all necessary legal steps to challenge the judgment.
In a statement, the group noted that Chief Ifeanyi Osegbo did not contest for any position during the last state congresses, including the office of state chairman.
“Our legal team has filed the necessary applications, including a stay of execution and an appeal before the Court of Appeal,” the statement read.
The group further claimed that the APC national leadership had also appealed the judgment and continued to recognise Senator Emma Anosike as the party’s state chairman.
“We remain confident that the courts will determine the issues in accordance with the law. It is also on record that the Inspector-General of Police and other security agencies are investigating allegations of document forgery which allegedly misled the court into delivering the judgment,” the statement added.
The Anosike faction urged party members to remain calm, law-abiding and refrain from attending meetings convened by any leadership other than that led by Senator Emma Anosike, Hon. J.C. Okeke and Sir Obi Okpala, whom it described as the duly elected and inaugurated executives of the party in Anambra State.
On July 3, the faction filed a notice of appeal and an application for a stay of execution before the Court of Appeal, Abuja.
In the appeal, Senator Emma Anosike, Sir Obi Okpala and other elected executive members are seeking an order setting aside the June 24, 2026 judgment delivered by Justice M.G. Umar, describing the proceedings as a nullity.
The appellants also asked the appellate court to stay the execution of the judgment pending the determination of their application.
Among the grounds of appeal are alleged non-service of court processes, denial of fair hearing, misrepresentation in obtaining the judgment, forum shopping, issue estoppel, and the court’s jurisdiction to set aside a judgment alleged to be a nullity.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has come under criticism following its decision to alter the list of candidates that emerged from its National Assembly primaries, sparking fresh concerns over internal democracy and the credibility of its candidate selection process ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Opposition parties condemned the move, with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) accusing the ruling party of descending into confusion, the Labour Party (LP) describing the substitutions as undemocratic, and the Social Democratic Party (SDP) branding the action reckless.
The APC, however, defended the changes, insisting they reflected fairness and the wishes of party members. It also urged opposition parties to focus on resolving their own internal crises rather than commenting on its affairs.
The controversy followed the APC’s directive to its state chapters to submit the final list of candidates for the 2027 elections while issuing Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) nomination forms for completion.
Several aspirants who were initially declared winners alleged that they were replaced after the party’s May Primary Election Appeal Commission reviewed petitions arising from the primaries.
Reports indicate that the APC National Working Committee (NWC), acting on the appeal committee’s recommendations, overturned the victories of several senatorial candidates in nine states and restored six serving senators to the party’s final list.
Those reinstated include Sunday Karimi (Kogi West), Emmanuel Udende (Benue North-East), Titus Zam (Benue North-West), Shuaibu Isa Lau (Taraba North), Adeniyi Adegbonmire (Ondo Central), and Olajide Ipinsagba (Ondo North). In Abia South, Prince Paul Ikonne replaced Edinburgh Erondu.
Among those affected was former Benue State Governor Gabriel Suswam, whose earlier victory in the Benue North-East primary was nullified in favour of incumbent Senator Emmanuel Udende.
The revised list has since generated internal disagreements and raised legal questions, particularly in light of INEC’s warning that it would reject the names of candidates who did not emerge from primaries monitored by the commission.
Reacting to the development, PDP National Publicity Secretary, Jungudo Mohammed, described the changes as evidence of growing confusion within the APC, saying the opposition would take advantage of the situation ahead of the elections.
“With the change of the candidate list, there is confusion in the APC. Let them remain in confusion so that we can take advantage of it and reclaim power. It is not our duty to advise them on how to put their house in order,” he said.
The Labour Party also criticised the substitutions, insisting that candidates who emerge from valid primaries should not be replaced.
LP National Publicity Secretary, Ken Asogwa, said the party had consistently respected the outcome of its primaries, describing the APC’s action as a mockery of the Electoral Act and democratic principles.
“For us in the Labour Party, we have never removed the names of people who won our primaries and replaced them with those who did not. That is how democracy should be practised,” Asogwa said.
However, the National Coordinator of the Obidient Movement Worldwide, Dr. Yunusa Tanko, argued that political parties have the constitutional right to determine their candidates through internal mechanisms.
He noted that the Supreme Court had affirmed the authority of political parties to nominate candidates and stressed the need for aggrieved members to pursue available internal appeal and reconciliation processes.
Similarly, the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) defended the APC’s action. Its National Publicity Secretary, Osa Director, said the Electoral Act empowers political parties to manage their candidate selection process, including addressing irregularities through internal mechanisms.
He maintained that if a party identifies flaws in its primary process and opts to make adjustments in line with its constitution, it is within its rights to do so, while denying allegations that the NDC had imposed candidates.

The Oyo State Government has denied reports claiming it paid ransom to secure the release of pupils and teachers abducted by bandits in Oriire Local Government Area, describing the allegation as false and misleading.

In a statement issued on Friday, the Commissioner for Information, Dotun Oyelade, said the claim was “far from the truth” and accused “irresponsible bloggers” of deliberately spreading misinformation to confuse the public.

“Although both the Oyo State and Federal Governments have been making concerted efforts to secure the safe release of the abducted children and their teachers, no ransom has been paid to the bandits, either directly or indirectly,” Oyelade stated.

He urged residents to disregard the reports and rely only on information released through official government channels.

The commissioner added that the Oyo State Government is working closely with security agencies to ensure the safe release of the abductees and bring the incident to a successful conclusion.

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The pupils and teachers were abducted on May 15 when armed bandits attacked three schools in the Yawota and Ahoro-Esienle communities of Oriire Local Government Area. The coordinated attack also claimed the life of a teacher.

The victims have remained in captivity since the attack, while the Oyo State Government, the Federal Government, and security agencies continue efforts to secure their freedom.