ABUJA: The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and several political parties are at odds over the availability of access codes required for uploading candidates’ details ahead of the 2027 general elections.
While the electoral commission maintains that the access codes have already been issued following a training programme for party representatives, many political parties insist they have yet to receive them, raising concerns as the nomination process gathers pace.
According to INEC’s election timetable, political parties were expected to begin collecting the access codes last Friday to enable them to submit the particulars of their presidential and National Assembly candidates through the commission’s online nomination portal.
However, most parties contacted said they were still waiting for the codes, with the exception of the Because Of Our Tomorrow (BOOT) Party, which confirmed that it had been notified of their availability.
The disagreement comes as rival factions within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the African Democratic Congress (ADC) seek official recognition from INEC to upload their respective candidates on the commission’s portal.
INEC has maintained that the process is proceeding as planned and that there is no reason for concern. A senior official of the commission explained that representatives of political parties underwent training last Thursday and Friday on the use of the nomination portal and the access codes.
The official said political parties still have sufficient time to complete the upload process before the July 11 deadline for presidential and National Assembly candidates.
According to the official, INEC personnel remain available to assist political parties experiencing technical challenges, stressing that it is too early to assess compliance with the nomination timetable.
INEC’s Director of Voter Education and Publicity, Victoria Eta-Messi, also dismissed allegations that the commission had failed to release the codes. She argued that political parties were expected to participate in the training before receiving access credentials and advised those still awaiting the codes to make their claims only if they had not received them after the training exercise.
Under the commission’s revised timetable for the 2027 elections, online submission of Forms EC9 and EC9A to EC9E for presidential and National Assembly candidates opened on June 27 and will close by 6 p.m. on July 11, 2026.
The portal for governorship and State House of Assembly candidates is scheduled to open on July 18 and close on August 8, 2026.
INEC noted that the access codes became available for collection from June 26 at its headquarters in line with the provisions of Section 29(1) of the Electoral Act 2026, which requires political parties to submit the names of their candidates at least 120 days before the election.
Despite the commission’s assurances, several political parties insist they are yet to obtain the codes.
ADC National Publicity Secretary Bolaji Abdullahi and the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) said they had not received the credentials, although they were informed by INEC that the codes would be released once ready.
Officials of the Labour Party also confirmed that they were still awaiting the access code. A senior party source said the nomination forms had already been distributed to aspirants and that the party would upload candidates’ details immediately after receiving the required credentials from the commission.
Similarly, the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) disclosed that it had formally approached INEC for the access code but had yet to receive a response.
The request comes amid fresh legal challenges confronting the party. A Federal High Court sitting in Lokoja recently directed INEC not to recognise the NDC as a political party pending the resolution of disputes surrounding its registration.
The court set aside an earlier judgment that compelled INEC to register the party after the Peace Movement Party (PMP) challenged the use of its logo by the NDC.
Rejecting the ruling, NDC National Chairman Senator Cleopas Zuwoghe said the party would appeal the judgment, expressing confidence that it would secure victory at the Court of Appeal.
He maintained that the legal dispute would not stop the party from participating in the 2027 elections and assured supporters that its presidential candidate, Peter Obi, his running mate and other candidates would remain in the race.
Zuwoghe also argued that the NDC’s rapid rise as an opposition force had attracted political pressure, adding that he had continued discussions with INEC over the candidate upload process despite the court ruling.
The New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), however, said INEC had already begun issuing access codes for the Osun State off-cycle governorship election.
The party’s National Secretary, Dipo Olayoku, said he was uncertain whether the same process had commenced for the 2027 general elections but commended the commission for handling multiple electoral activities simultaneously, including recent governorship and bye-elections.
He also observed that the implementation of the Electoral Act 2026 and the numerous internal disputes among political parties had significantly increased INEC’s workload.
Meanwhile, BOOT Party National Chairman Sunny Adenuga confirmed that the party had been informed that its access code was ready and would be collected early this week.
As the July 11 submission deadline approaches, political parties are expected to intensify preparations while awaiting the resolution of the disagreement over access to INEC’s nomination portal.
