The All Progressives Congress (APC) has completed the submission and electronic upload of its candidates for all elective positions ahead of the 2027 general elections, the party’s National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Goshwe, has said.
Yilwatda disclosed this at the weekend, saying the party concluded the process ahead of the deadline originally set by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
According to him, the successful submission of candidates ranging from the State Houses of Assembly to the presidential election demonstrated the APC’s organisational capacity and preparedness for the forthcoming elections.
He said the exercise involved the coordination of candidates and party structures across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, describing its completion within the stipulated period as evidence of the party’s institutional discipline.
The APC chairman noted that some other political parties were still working to meet the initial deadline and had appealed to INEC for additional time to complete their submissions.
Following the appeals, INEC extended the deadline from Saturday, 8 August 2026, to Tuesday, 11 August 2026, allowing parties an additional three days to conclude the electronic submission of their candidates.
In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Information Strategy, Abimbola Tooki, Yilwatda said the APC’s early completion of the process reflected a shift from what he described as politics driven by slogans to one based on planning, systems and execution.
He said the nomination, documentation, verification and electronic submission of thousands of candidates within the prescribed period was a significant test of a political party’s organisational strength.
“The APC has once again demonstrated that we are prepared for the responsibility of governing Nigeria. We did not wait until the last minute. We planned ahead, coordinated our structures and ensured that our candidates were successfully uploaded before the expiration of the original deadline. This is what organisation, discipline and responsible political leadership mean,” Yilwatda said.
He described the 2027 elections as potentially one of Nigeria’s most consequential electoral contests, arguing that political parties would need to demonstrate more than popularity to secure voters’ confidence.
According to him, parties must also show evidence of internal coordination, institutional capacity and preparedness to participate effectively in the electoral process.
Yilwatda said the scale of the exercise was underscored by the APC’s nationwide structure, which extends across states, senatorial districts, federal constituencies and local government areas.
He attributed the early completion of the submission process to coordination between the party’s National Secretariat, state chapters, candidates and other relevant structures.
The APC chairman also used the development to stress the importance of organisational competence in assessing political parties seeking the mandate to govern.
“Governance is not an experiment. The management of a country as complex as Nigeria requires planning, coordination, discipline, competence and the ability to deliver within deadlines,” he said.
He urged Nigerians to look beyond campaign promises when assessing political parties, saying their internal systems, preparedness, management capacity and compliance with electoral regulations should also form part of the basis for making political choices.
Yilwatda said the completion of the candidate-upload process should not be viewed merely as an administrative milestone but as an early indication of the APC’s preparations for the 2027 elections.
He added that completing the exercise ahead of the original deadline would allow the party to focus on subsequent stages of its preparations, including campaign coordination, engagement with candidates, voter mobilisation, grassroots organisation, policy communication and reconciliation within its structures.
The National Chairman commended members of the APC National Working Committee, state party leaders, candidates, election management teams and other officials involved in the process.
He described the successful completion of the exercise as a collective achievement, while urging party members to remain focused as preparations for the elections continue.
“The work has only begun. Completing the upload ahead of schedule gives us confidence, but it also places a greater responsibility on us. We must remain united, disciplined and focused,” Yilwatda said.
He said the APC would continue to strengthen its structures and systems ahead of the 2027 elections, with the aim of presenting what he described as a credible platform for Nigerians to make choices based on competence, continuity, stability and national development.
