APC races to meet INEC deadline as candidate filing begins

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has commenced the distribution of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Form EC9 to candidates who emerged from its April primaries signalling the party’s move to beat the electoral commission’s deadline for submission of candidates’ particulars ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The exercise followed the ratification of the shadow election results by the party’s National Working Committee (NWC), clearing the way for the formal documentation of candidates for submission to INEC.

Party sources disclosed that members of the NWC have been assigned responsibilities for distributing the mandatory affidavit forms to candidates, while designated state officials will oversee the exercise in states where no NWC member is available.

The APC National Vice Chairmen across the six geopolitical zones are coordinating the process.

The move came as INEC has opened its electronic portal for political parties to upload the credentials and personal particulars of their nominated candidates in line with the commission’s timetable for the 2027 elections.

Form EC9 is a statutory affidavit that every candidate is required to complete, swear to before a commissioner for oaths and submit alongside other supporting documents before they can be validly nominated by a political party.

Sources said distribution of the forms began last Saturday, with candidates expected to complete the documents, attach all required credentials and return them through the party’s zonal structures to the APC ICT Department for upload onto the INEC portal.

Despite the commencement of the exercise, uncertainty still surrounds the final list of some legislative candidates. While the party’s presidential ticket has been settled, several National Assembly aspirants are reportedly awaiting confirmation from the NWC on their status.

A senior party official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, acknowledged that grievances arising from the shadow elections remain a source of concern but insisted that the APC was deploying its internal reconciliation mechanisms to prevent disputes from escalating.

“The party is not pretending that there are no complaints. We recognise that some aspirants are dissatisfied, but reconciliation efforts are ongoing to resolve outstanding issues before the close of the nomination window,” the source said.

The official expressed confidence that the reconciliation process would strengthen party cohesion and ensure that all statutory requirements are completed within the timeframe prescribed by INEC.

Efforts to obtain an official response from the APC National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, were unsuccessful as he did not respond to calls and messages before this report was filed.