The Role of INEC in APC Elections

Last checked: 14 October 2026. This article explains the role of INEC in APC elections, both inside the party and in general elections. It is civic education, not legal advice or an endorsement of any party.

The role of INEC in APC elections is often misunderstood. The Independent National Electoral Commission does not run the APC’s internal affairs and does not choose its candidates. It does, however, set the rules the party must follow, receive its documents and, in the end, conduct the general election in which APC candidates compete with those of other parties.

What INEC does not do

INEC does not conduct a party’s primaries. The APC organises its own congresses and primaries through committees it appoints, as it did for the 2026 presidential primary, whose result was declared by Senator Pius Anyim as chairman of the party’s primaries committee. INEC’s concern is whether the party followed the law and its own constitution.

Setting the timetable

INEC publishes the election timetable. After the Electoral Act 2026 replaced the 2022 Act, it rescheduled the 2027 polls: presidential and National Assembly elections for 16 January 2027 and governorship and state assembly elections for 6 February 2027. It said the change reflected adjusted statutory timelines, and it also responded to concerns that earlier dates would clash with Ramadan. Parties then fit their primaries and campaigns inside INEC’s windows, with the primaries window running through May 2026.

Receiving the membership register

Under Section 77 of the 2026 Act, as reported, parties must submit a digital register of members to INEC at least 21 days before primaries, congresses or conventions. A party that misses the deadline can be barred from fielding candidates for that election. On 24 September 2026 the Supreme Court dealt with this in INEC v. Zenith Labour Party. The APC says the ruling upheld Section 77 and has urged INEC to verify that all parties complied. How INEC applies the ruling to each party is a matter to watch.

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Monitoring party activities

INEC has historically sent officials to observe party congresses and primaries so it can confirm that they were held. Observation is not the same as running them, and the exact monitoring rules should be checked in the Act and INEC’s guidelines, which we did not review in full for this article.

Receiving and publishing candidate lists

Parties submit their candidates after primaries. Section 29(1), as described by Legal 500, requires submission no later than 120 days before election day. INEC publishes particulars for public scrutiny and, after review, a final list. On 12 September 2026 it released a final list of 18 presidential candidates, with Bola Tinubu as the APC’s candidate, Atiku Abubakar for the ADC and Peter Obi for the NDC.

Conducting the election

INEC recruits and trains polling staff, distributes materials and runs accreditation and voting. Voters must vote in person with a valid Permanent Voter Card at their assigned polling unit, and they are accredited using the BVAS device. After counting at the polling unit, results are recorded on Form EC8A.

Results transmission

Section 60(3) of the 2026 Act, according to Legal 500, requires electronic transmission of Form EC8A from polling units to INEC’s result viewing portal, IReV. The same article says that if transmission fails because of “communication failure”, the manually completed form becomes the primary source for collation. It also notes that “communication failure” is not defined and no upload deadline is set, which it presents as a gap. Wilfully frustrating transmission is an offence under Section 60(6).

Funding

Elections are expensive. INEC told the National Assembly it needs ₦873.78 billion for the 2027 elections, up from ₦313.4 billion for 2023, according to Nairametrics. Section 3 of the 2026 Act, as described by Legal 500, creates a dedicated INEC fund to be released no later than six months before a general election.

Declaring winners and handling disputes

INEC declares winners and issues certificates of return. Disputes go to election tribunals and courts. The 2023 presidential petitions ended at the Supreme Court on 26 October 2023, which unanimously dismissed the appeals of Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi. Under Section 138(1), as described by Legal 500, petition grounds are limited to corrupt practices or non-compliance, and not being duly elected by a majority of lawful votes.

Why trust in INEC matters

All parties, including the APC, depend on voters believing the process is fair. INEC’s independence and technology are regularly debated by parties, observers and civil society. Clearer rules and public documentation can help, and critics and supporters alike tend to call for transparent procedures.

What we could not confirm

• The full text of INEC’s 2026 guidelines on primaries monitoring.
• How INEC will apply the September 2026 Supreme Court ruling to each party.

Frequently asked questions

Does INEC run the APC primaries? No. The party organises them, and INEC receives documents and checks compliance.

Who announces election winners? INEC.

Where can I check the candidate list? INEC publishes it, and media outlets report the details.

Key takeaways

INEC sets the calendar, receives party registers and candidate lists, publishes the final list, runs the election and declares results. The APC runs its own primaries but must comply with INEC’s rules.

Sources checked

• AllAfrica, INEC reschedules 2027 elections, 27 February 2026
• Nairametrics, INEC final list of 18 presidential candidates, 12 September 2026
• Legal 500, analysis of the Electoral Act 2026, 19 March 2026
• VON, APC urges INEC to enforce Supreme Court ruling, September 2026
• ICIR, Supreme Court judgment, 26 October 2023