Panic has gripped most members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) who are seeking to contest the 2027 election following the release of the codes for the uploading of the list of candidates by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). According to investigations, the worst hit are the National Assembly hopefuls, whose list is set to be uploaded on the INEC portal this week.

Investigations by our correspondents indicate that the Independent National Electoral Commission has since released codes to the parties to access its portals, raising tense moments among party members as aspirants became wary of where the pendulum would eventually swing.

Our correspondents found that while aspirants who became candidates through consensus deals seem not to be concerned, those who emerged through direct primary elections are not leaving anything to chance.

A party source revealed that some aggrieved aspirants have expressed confidence that the APC National Working Committee will overturn the results of the primaries, on the strength of the petitions filed before the appeal panels.

A source told the Nigerian Tribune that top national officers of the party have been avoiding the party’s national secretariat since last week to avoid interactions with agitated aspirants, trying to find out the final decision of the NWC on such petitions.

“Some of them are coming with tall demands. That’s why members of the NWC have been avoiding the party’s national secretariat,” the source revealed.

The source, however, confirmed to Nigerian Tribune that the party has since received the access code needed to upload successful candidates to the INEC portal and will commence the process on Monday.

He further revealed that only the list of candidates for state assemblies will not be uploaded for now.

Meanwhile, the ruling party at the weekend dismissed as fake the list of successful candidates in circulation.

A statement signed by the party’s national publicity secretary, Barrister Felix Morka, maintained that the party’s national leadership has not released the list of winners of its primaries.

The statement declared that “the All Progressives Congress (APC) hereby informs the general public that it has not released the official list of successful candidates from its recently conducted party primaries.”

It urged the party faithful and the general public to disregard any publication or report announcing the outcome of the primaries, noting that “such information is false and unauthorized.”

According to Morka, “successful candidates will be duly notified through the party’s official channels. Certificates of Return will thereafter be issued in accordance with established procedures.”

INEC denies NDC codes for candidates upload, party claims

The National Democratic Coalition (NDC) has alleged that INEC declined its request for the access code required to upload the names of its candidates to the commission’s nomination portal, as the party prepares to challenge a recent court judgment ordering its deregistration.

The development comes in the wake of a Federal High Court judgment directing INEC to deregister the NDC, a ruling that has cast uncertainty over the party’s legal status and its ability to participate in forthcoming elections.

Speaking on the development, the National Publicity Secretary of the NDC, Osa Director, said the party had approached INEC to obtain the access code needed to complete the online submission of its candidates, but was unable to secure it.

According to him, officials of the electoral commission informed the party that they would “get back” to them, leaving the NDC unable to complete the mandatory upload before the court’s deregistration order.

“We approached INEC to collect the access code to upload the names of our candidates to the INEC portal. They told us that they will get back to us,” the director said.

He argued that the party’s inability to upload its candidates should not be interpreted as a failure on its part, insisting that the delay resulted from the commission’s refusal to provide the necessary access credentials.

The NDC spokesperson disclosed that the party would return to INEC to make another request while simultaneously taking legal steps to suspend the enforcement of the court judgment.

“We will go back there by tomorrow. I believe by tomorrow we must have filed a stay of execution in court,” he stated.

According to him, the party’s legal team has already commenced the process of filing a stay of execution, a move aimed at preventing the immediate implementation of the judgment pending the determination of an appeal.

INEC denies NDC’s claims, says we don’t have such information

When contacted, INEC’s Director of Voter Education and Publicity, Victoria Eta-Messi, said the Commission did not have any information about the refusal to give access codes to the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC).

When asked for the reason why the Commission had not issued access codes to NDC while other political parties had received theirs, she said, “When they say INEC, who in particular are they talking about? They didn’t mention any name.

“I don’t have that information. I’m told by the department that those who requested were given and that the parties sent their names.

“So, I don’t know who they are talking about. I don’t know who they said refused to give them. I don’t have that information.”

On Friday, a Lokoja Federal High Court set aside its initial judgment that recognised the NDC.

But the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said that it would have to receive and study the judgment of the court before taking any action.

INEC’s Director of Voter Education and Publicity stated this on Saturday while reacting to a question on the matter sent by the Nigerian Tribune.

When asked if the commission would deregister NDC, she said, “I haven’t received any brief on this yet. Naturally, the Commission will have to receive and study the judgment before taking any action.”

However, a top source within the commission told Nigerian Tribune that INEC had not yet received the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the court’s order.

The reliable source said once the Commission’s legal department received and thoroughly studied the CTC of the judgment, INEC would take an informed, lawful decision in line with the court’s directives.

“The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is aware of reports circulating in the media regarding the judgment delivered on Friday, June 26, 2026, by the Federal High Court sitting in Lokoja, which set aside an earlier order concerning the registration of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC).

“However, as of this moment, the Commission has not yet received the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the court’s order.

“Once the Commission’s legal department receives and thoroughly studies the CTC of the judgment, INEC will take an informed, lawful decision in line with the court’s directives. Until then, we cannot comment on the specifics of the ruling, and the public is urged to await the Commission’s formal position on the matter,” the source had said.

ADC gets access codes to upload candidates on INEC’s portal

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has received access codes from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to upload the names, personal particulars, and other required information relating to nominated candidates for the 2027 general elections.

A top and reliable source in the party confirmed this development to Nigerian Tribune on Sunday.

In its revised timetable, the INEC had said political parties must submit candidate nominations from June 27 to July 11, 2026.

On June 9, the INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, while delivering his opening remarks at the Second Quarterly Consultative Meeting with leaders of political parties held at the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja, said the Commission would issue official access codes to political parties for the Candidate Nomination Portal for the nomination of candidates for the 2027 general elections on Friday, June 26.

Amupitan said the access codes would enable designated national officers of political parties to upload the names, personal particulars, and other required information relating to nominated candidates.

Prof. Amupitan urged political parties to ensure that their ICT personnel and relevant officers are adequately prepared for the exercise.

He stated that all submissions must be completed within the stipulated deadlines.

“The portal is fully automated and will close automatically at the expiration of the prescribed period,” the INEC chairman warned. (Nigerian Tribune)

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