2027: APC Uploads 27 Governorship Candidates to INEC Portal

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has submitted the names of its governorship candidates and their running mates for 27 states to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), ahead of the 2027 general elections.

According to party sources, only one state in the North-East is yet to conclude the process, with consultations ongoing over the choice of a deputy governorship candidate.

The matter is expected to be settled at a stakeholders’ meeting in Abuja before the submission deadline.

Among those whose names have been uploaded to the INEC portal are Senator Sharafadeen Alli for Oyo State, Speaker of the Kwara State House of Assembly, Yakubu Danladi Salihu, for Kwara State, former Executive Secretary of the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF), Ahmed Tijani Galadima, for Adamawa State, and former Bauchi State Governor, Mohammed Abubakar, for Bauchi State.

The affected states witnessed some of the most closely contested APC primaries in the country.

In Kwara State, the emergence of Danladi generated strong reactions from other aspirants who challenged the outcome of the exercise.

Bauchi State also experienced internal tensions after Mohammed Abubakar secured the APC nomination.

The disagreement led to a number of defections, including that of Senator Shehu Umar Buba, who subsequently joined the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Some party officials and supporters also left the APC in the aftermath of the primary election.

Despite the earlier divisions, APC leaders in the state have continued efforts aimed at strengthening party unity ahead of the governorship election.

In Adamawa State, indications suggest that party leaders have moved towards reconciliation following the emergence of Galadima as the party’s candidate.

The situation in Oyo State also drew attention after former Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, challenged the outcome of the primary election and insisted he would pursue available party mechanisms to address his grievances.

However, the APC has now formally submitted Senator Sharafadeen Alli’s name to INEC alongside his running mate, Adesoji Adedeji.

A senior party official familiar with the process said only one outstanding issue remains before the APC concludes the upload of all governorship candidates nationwide.

“The remaining issue concerns the deputy governorship slot in one North-East state. Consultations are ongoing and the matter will be resolved before the deadline,” the source said.

The official also revealed that the party has made substantial progress in uploading candidates for State House of Assembly elections across the country.

According to the source, a significant percentage of the APC’s assembly candidates have already been entered into the INEC nomination portal, while work continues on the remaining submissions.

INEC had earlier fixed August 8 as the deadline for political parties to submit the names of governorship and State House of Assembly candidates for the 2027 general elections.

In a related development, the APC recently announced the successful upload of its presidential, vice-presidential and National Assembly candidates to the INEC Candidate Nomination Portal ahead of the commission’s deadline.

The party confirmed that President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima were among the candidates whose nominations were successfully submitted through the portal.

Speaking on the exercise, APC National Chairman, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, praised party members and candidates for completing the process within the stipulated timeframe.

“I congratulate our candidates, leaders, and members of APC on the successful 100% upload of our Presidential, Vice Presidential, Senate, and House of Representatives candidates on the INEC Candidate Nomination Portal (ICNP),” he said.

He added, “With this milestone achieved, our focus now shifts to mobilisation and preparations for a successful campaign and decisive victory at the polls.”

The APC also maintained that its priority remains ensuring that all candidates complete the necessary nomination documentation and comply with INEC requirements before the relevant deadlines.