The Independent National Electoral Commission’s portal access for the 2027 elections has sparked fresh power struggles within major political parties, as rival factions and state chapters dispute control of candidate uploads and nomination lists ahead of the deadline.

The PUNCH learnt that the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike-backed faction of the Peoples Democratic Party has commenced the upload of its candidates for the 2027 general elections to the Independent National Electoral Commission portal after receiving INEC’s access code.

PDP National Organising Secretary, Umar Bature, in an exclusive interview on Monday, confirmed that the party had received all necessary documents from INEC for submission of its candidates.

However, a member of the Tanimu Turaki (SAN)-led PDP Interim National Working Committee, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak on the matter, said the faction had yet to receive the INEC access code. He expressed confidence that the courts would resolve the party’s leadership dispute in its favour before the submission deadline.

Although he declined to comment directly on the access code, the Turaki-led Interim National Working Committee’s Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, described the commission under Professor Joash Amupitan as the most contentious INEC leadership ahead of an election.

The Supreme Court, in a split 3–2 judgment delivered on April 30, invalidated the PDP National Convention in Ibadan on November 15 and 16, 2025, which produced the Turaki leadership and was supported by Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde.

Following the ruling, the party’s Board of Trustees, led by Adolphus Wabara, reconstituted Turaki and others as an Interim National Working Committee.

Since then, the interim leadership has operated alongside the INEC-recognised faction aligned with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.

INEC responds

Responding to one of our correspondents’ enquiry, INEC said several political parties had begun collecting their access codes ahead of upcoming electoral activities, while reaffirming that it recognises only the leadership of the PDP endorsed by the court.

Speaking on the development, INEC National Commissioner Mohammed Haruna, on Monday, told The PUNCH that political parties have been collecting their nomination codes since June 26.

“Quite a number of political parties since June 26 have collected their codes already. I know the SDP, for instance, has collected. As for NDC, I will have to confirm; I am not sure,” he said.

Addressing questions on the PDP, Haruna said the commission only recognises the faction upheld by the court.

“I don’t know about any faction in the PDP. It is the one the court said we should recognise that we recognise. The Supreme Court’s position is what we follow,” he said.

On nomination forms, the INEC commissioner explained that he could not provide full details as it falls under another department.

“For the nomination forms, I don’t know which of them it was presented to because I don’t belong to the committee that handles that aspect. It is the pre-election and monitoring department that does that,” he said.

Wike vs Turaki

While the INEC-recognised leadership, led by Abdulrahman Mohammed and National Secretary Samuel Anyanwu, conducted the sale of expression of interest and nomination forms under the commission’s supervision, the Turaki faction also issued forms to aspirants despite lacking INEC recognition and oversight.

According to INEC’s 2027 timetable, parties were to receive portal access codes for candidate uploads on June 26, while submission deadline is July 18.

Bature, confirming receipt of the code, said the PDP had begun uploading candidates.

He stated, “I can confirm that the Peoples Democratic Party, under Abdulrahman Mohammed and Senator Samuel Anyanwu, has received INEC’s access code. We have commenced uploading candidates’ details.

“We have also received all necessary documentation from INEC to meet requirements for the 2027 general elections. The upload is ongoing and will be completed before July 11, 2027.

“The party is in order, our candidates are preparing, and we are confident of victory.”

A source in the Turaki-led faction said it had not received the code but remained confident pending court decisions.

He said, “To the best of my knowledge, we are yet to receive the access code. However, there are still cases in court.

“It is not about who gets it first, but the final judgment. INEC will comply with the court decision. We are confident justice will prevail.”

Reacting, Ememobong alleged that INEC, under Professor Amupitan, had been unfair to opposition parties.

He said, “Our view is that history will record Amupitan as the most contentious INEC chairman before an election. He has not been fair not only to the PDP but also to other opposition parties.

“With the level of discredit he has earned, no opposition party can confidently say it has up to 50 per cent trust in his ability to conduct free and fair elections.

“But we remain hopeful and will continue to engage within the democratic process.”

Uncertainty in Lagos

In the Lagos State chapter of the PDP, uncertainty still reigns as Adedeji Doherty and Adetokunbo Pearse lay claim to the party’s governorship ticket.

Some party leaders told The PUNCH on Monday that despite the lingering dispute, they were optimistic that their names and those of their respective candidates for legislative positions at state and national levels would appear on the final list to be released by the Independent National Electoral Commission for the 2027 elections.

It was gathered that candidates aligned with Pearse are expected to meet PDP chieftain Bode George on Wednesday to seek clarification on the status of their candidacies ahead of the elections.

Meanwhile, the Lagos State chapter of the APC has maintained that the list of candidates that emerged from its legislative primaries remains unchanged despite protests by aggrieved aspirants.

Despite the controversy surrounding the primaries, the party leadership insisted that the list of House of Representatives and Lagos State House of Assembly candidates published in The Nation newspaper on Monday, May 25, 2026, remains valid.

Although the party is awaiting the release of the final list by its national leadership, the Lagos APC said it was unaware of any changes to the earlier published list.

Speaking recently with The PUNCH, the Lagos APC chairman, Cornelius Ojelabi, said the state chapter merely published the outcome of primaries conducted by a committee set up by the party’s national headquarters, adding that any alteration would come from the national leadership after reviewing the appeal committee’s report.

State chapters

The Edo State APC Publicity Secretary, Peter Uwadiae-Igbinigie, said the state had uploaded the names of its candidates into the INEC portal.

He said the APC National Appeals Committee considered petitions from aggrieved members and cleared the candidates uploaded into the portal.

He said, “For the Senate, the ticket for Edo South went to Omoregie Ogbeide-Ihama while Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu lost out. For Edo Central, Joe Ikpea, who took over from Governor Monday Okpebholo, was cleared and uploaded, while former governor of the state, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, will be the party’s candidate for Edo North.

“For the House of Representatives, Edo South has four candidates: Billy Osawaru, Felix Igbinovia, Paddy Iyamu and Gabrielle Igbinedion made the list. For Edo Central, Dr Esegbe and Hon Henry Okogie were cleared, while Andrew Ijegbai, Oladele Bankole-Balogun and Sunny Dekeri also made the list.”

He noted that the governor and some state party officials had travelled to Abuja over the weekend for the upload exercise.

He added that he did not expect further complaints, as the appeal committee had already addressed grievances raised by aspirants during the primaries.

States

In Kaduna State, a chieftain of the PDP, Danjuma Sarki, declared his bid to represent Zonkwa State Constituency in the 2027 House of Assembly elections after obtaining the party’s nomination form.

Sarki confirmed in a telephone interview that he had collected, completed and submitted the form for onward transmission to INEC.

He said, “Yes, I have received the nomination form for Zonkwa Constituency. We have filled and submitted it. The party will upload the documents to the INEC portal.”

He expressed confidence in the process, saying he was optimistic of securing the party’s ticket and prepared for the contest.

“I am good to go. I will continue with the process and hope for a smooth outcome, by God’s grace,” he said.

Also, the Kogi State PDP chairman, Sani Gambo, said he would begin uploading the list of successful candidates to the INEC portal today.

In a telephone conversation with our correspondent on Monday, the chairman said, “I just want to be sure that all the candidates’ documents are in order before uploading. We have been given the PIN code to use for that purpose, and I will start today,” Gambo said.

In Jigawa State, both the ruling APC and the PDP have confirmed receiving INEC’s access codes to upload the names of their candidates for the 2027 general elections, as political parties commenced the nomination process on the commission’s portal.

This was disclosed in separate interviews with The PUNCH correspondents on Monday.

Speaking via telephone on Monday, the APC spokesperson in Jigawa State, Bashir Kundu, said, “Yes, we have received the code from INEC to upload the names of our candidates for the 2027 elections. The party is currently compiling the list, and we will meet the deadline.”

Kundu added that the party’s screening and harmonisation processes were ongoing at the state secretariat in Dutse.

“We are ensuring that only duly nominated candidates are uploaded. The process is transparent and in line with INEC guidelines,” he said.

Also speaking via telephone, the PDP spokesperson in the state, Comrade Umar Kyari, confirmed that the party had collected its access code from INEC.

“We have received the code, and our candidates’ names are being uploaded to the INEC portal. The PDP is ready for the 2027 elections, and our internal processes have been concluded in most constituencies,” Kyary said.

In Benue State, some prospective candidates from the last primary elections received their nomination forms from INEC, while others were yet to receive them, according to findings by The PUNCH.

Our correspondent gathered that all loyalists of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, have received their nomination forms.

It was also learnt that two senators and eight members of the House of Representatives loyal to the SGF have obtained their nomination forms from INEC.

One of the successful candidates in the state, who spoke on Monday but asked not to be named, confirmed that he had received, completed, and submitted his nomination forms.

“They gave us the forms; we filled them and submitted,” the candidate said.

Our correspondent learnt that all serving APC senators and House of Representatives members who participated in the last primaries were returned.

It was further learnt that a senatorial candidate and three House of Representatives members from Benue South Senatorial District, loyal to Governor Hyacinth Alia, also emerged victorious but are yet to receive their nomination forms.

One of the successful candidates from the zone, who also spoke but pleaded anonymity, said the governor was expected to receive the forms on their behalf and distribute them.

“I am yet to receive the nomination forms alongside three others from Zone C. It is the state governor who is supposed to receive and hand them over to us. So, we are waiting for the governor to come and collect the forms.

“But for others in Zone A and B (loyalists of the SGF), they all went directly to INEC and collected their nomination forms,” the candidate said.

In Plateau State, the APC candidate for the Pankshin/Kanke/Kanam Federal Constituency, Yusuf Gagdi, received his nomination form, paving the way for his name to be uploaded as the party’s flagbearer.

Gagdi was presented with the form alongside other APC candidates from across the country, particularly from Plateau State, at the party’s national headquarters in Abuja.

Confirming the development to The PUNCH in Jos on Monday, one of Gagdi’s aides, Longul Dakwol, said INEC had issued the form to his principal, who had since completed the process.

“I can confirm that he was issued the form by INEC. He has already filled it as the party’s candidate for the PKK constituency,” he said.

Reacting after receiving the form, Gagdi expressed gratitude to party members and stakeholders in PKK for entrusting him with the ticket.

“By the will of Allah, justice prevailed, and your collective decision has once again entrusted me with the responsibility of flying the flag of our great party,” he said in a statement.

In Kwara State, the PDP completed documentation for all its candidates ahead of the 2027 general elections, while the ruling APC is yet to distribute INEC nomination forms to its House of Assembly candidates.

The party, at its state secretariat in Ilorin, presented Certificates of Return and INEC nomination forms to its 24 House of Assembly candidates after earlier issuing similar documents at the national level to its governorship candidate, Bolakale Kawu, alongside three senatorial candidates and six House of Representatives candidates in Abuja. INEC Form EC13E also confirmed Salahudeen Lukman as the PDP candidate for Balogun/Ojomu (Offa) State Constituency.

The Kwara PDP, in a statement by its State Publicity Secretary, Olusegun Adewara, said the process had been concluded, while State Chairman Isa Bawa urged candidates to remain united and focused on mobilisation ahead of the polls.

“Your emergence as candidates is a collective mandate to serve the people with humility, dedication and commitment. I urge you to remain united, disciplined and focused as we move into the next phase of our campaign,” Bawa said.

He further charged candidates to deepen grassroots engagement across their constituencies and sustain the party’s internal cohesion.

“You must continue to build the party at the grassroots, engage every stakeholder and work together in the interest of our collective success in the 2027 general elections.

“We remain fortunate to have experienced, visionary and politically astute leadership under Dr. Bukola Saraki, whose commitment to internal democracy, consultation and consensus-building has continued to unite our party and position us strongly ahead of the 2027 elections,” he added.

Speaking on behalf of the candidates, the beneficiaries commended the party leadership for conducting what they described as transparent and peaceful primary elections.

“We are grateful to the leadership of our great party for providing a transparent and peaceful process. We are committed to justifying the confidence placed in us and will work tirelessly with party leaders, members and supporters to secure victory in 2027,” they said.

However, the APC appears to be moving at a slower pace in completing its post-primary documentation.

A senior APC member and House of Assembly aspirant, who spoke to The PUNCH on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak publicly, disclosed that House of Assembly candidates had yet to receive their INEC nomination forms.

“The governor is yet to distribute the House of Assembly forms. Only governorship and National Assembly candidates, to the best of my knowledge,” the source said.

Protest in Ondo

In Ondo State, hundreds of women in the ruling APC on Monday staged a protest in Akure against the list of candidates released by the party’s national secretariat.

The protesters alleged that the names on the list did not reflect the winners of the recent House of Representatives primary election held last month. During the demonstration along Oyemekun and Akure–Ilesa roads, major routes were blocked, causing heavy traffic and briefly halting movement, including the convoy of Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa.

Carrying placards with inscriptions such as “No to imposition in Ondo APC,” “Let our votes count,” and “Ondo women support Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa,” the women sang solidarity songs while demanding fairness.

The state Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Seun Osamaye, who spoke during the protest, described the action as a rejection of injustice, insisting that the published list did not reflect the true outcome of the primaries and should be disregarded.

She said, “We, the women of Ondo State who are members of the APC, have come out to express our displeasure with the fake list being circulated. We consider it fake because it does not reflect the mandate of the people. It does not reflect the votes counted across the 203 wards of Ondo State. We know those we voted for. We know those we counted as winners of the elections, so why does the list being circulated online not reflect the people’s mandate? That is the question we have come to ask this afternoon.

“It is a peaceful protest. We say no to ‘mago-mago’ appeal. We say no to fake appeal. We say no to corner-corner appeal. People’s votes should count. We voted massively for our candidates, and it should reflect in the list that has been pasted. But what we are seeing online does not reflect what we voted for, and that is why we have come today.

“We know President Bola Tinubu is a President for women. We know he is a man who listens, a man of fair judgment, integrity, fairness and justice. So, what we are saying is: let the people’s votes matter, let our votes count. We voted across the 203 wards, and what was pasted online does not reflect our mandate. That is why, as women of the APC in Ondo State, we have come out to express our concern that this injustice should not stand. It is against the spirit of fairness, transparency and voting. People’s votes are meant to matter and count.”

Speaking, one of the state Youth Leaders of the party, Bright Ojo, alleged that the purported candidates’ list contained the names of those who lost the primary, describing the development as a coup against democracy.

He said, “What you are seeing is a protest against a democratic coup in Ondo State. The democratic coup is that the people of Ondo State, who are members of our great party, voted en masse during the direct primary, and the results reflected the will, wishes and mandate of the people from the field. All of a sudden, we are seeing rumours, speculations and some kind of hanky-panky that some names are being shuffled, reshuffled and even replaced. By who? By our party’s national chairman, who is from the northern extraction, imposing candidates on us in Ondo State.

“The truth is that the South-West is a peaceful region and a stronghold of the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, where he will get overwhelming support. We don’t know who our national party chairman is working for, whether he is working for the opposition or his brother Atiku Abubakar from the North, to defeat our candidate, the people’s president from the South.

“That is why we are asking: how did this democratic coup being perpetrated against our people come about? If they attempt to disrupt Nigeria’s peace by inciting chaos and crisis through our party in Ondo State, let it be on record that we, the people, will resist.”

However, a coalition of APC stakeholders and members in Ondo rose in defence of the party’s National Working Committee over its decision to review the outcomes of the party’s senatorial and House of Representatives primaries, describing the move as a necessary corrective measure to uphold the party’s constitution and integrity.

The group, under the aegis of the Ondo APC Progressive Minds Alliance, expressed support for the national leadership’s decision, which it said was taken in the best interest of the party and its electoral fortunes in the upcoming general elections.

“The Ondo APC Progressive Minds Alliance salutes our respected National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Goshwe Yilwatda, for his courage and integrity in ensuring that the party’s constitution is not subverted by any individual or group. We also commend our father and leader, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for his unyielding commitment to the rule of law and internal party democracy.

“We are equally grateful to our illustrious son, the Minister of Interior, Hon. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, whose exemplary leadership continues to inspire us in Ondo State. His dedication to the party’s ideals and respect for the NWC’s authority are qualities we deeply admire,” Ogunlade stated.

However, the OPMA coordinator expressed dismay over what he described as the “unfortunate deployment of state resources” by the APC-led government in Ondo State to falsely accuse and vilify the NWC and its leadership.

“It is most regrettable that the same party that controls the government in Ondo State has resorted to using state apparatus to malign the NWC and discredit its decisions. This is a dangerous precedent and a betrayal of the trust reposed in the party leadership.

“We have witnessed with concern the manner in which government officials and state-sponsored individuals have been deployed to create the impression that the NWC acted arbitrarily.

“The truth, however, is that the NWC only exercised its constitutional mandate to review appeals and ensure that the will of the people, as expressed through the primaries, was not subverted,” he said.

In Borno State, the Nigeria Democratic Congress says it is still awaiting the access code needed to begin uploading its candidates on the INEC portal. The African Democratic Congress in the state also confirmed it had already received its own code and is preparing to commence the upload process.

The NDC state Publicity Secretary, Aliyu Balarabe, said the party submitted a request to the Independent National Electoral Commission on Friday and is expecting a response.

“I just spoke with one of our national executives; he said he submitted a letter to INEC on Friday evening requesting the code. We are waiting for their official reply today (Monday),” he said.

Meanwhile, the ADC spokesperson in the state, Baba Ahmed Mustapha, said the party’s uploading would commence this week.

“The uploading of candidates on the INEC portal will start this week. We will collect forms from the Independent National Electoral Commission to issue to our candidates for completion and return,” he said.

In Adamawa State, many prospective candidates across political parties have remained silent on whether they have received nomination forms from INEC, amid uncertainty over party primaries and pending court cases.

Findings indicate that several aspirants declined to grant interviews or make clear statements on whether they have collected INEC forms or submitted their candidate details on the portal.

Party insiders, speaking anonymously, said the reluctance stems from unresolved disputes over primaries and ongoing legal battles affecting the nomination process.

The source said, “Many candidates are not willing to speak right now due to uncertainty regarding court cases and the pending approval by the APC for successful candidates from its primary elections.

“That process is still under review, and candidates are not even sure of their standing.”

Also, an official of INEC in Gombe, Mohorret Bigun, confirmed that codes had been issued to political parties.

He said, “I can confirm that political parties have received codes for uploading their candidates for the 2027 general elections. All political parties are expected to upload within the period provided.”

Bigun, who is an officer in the Public Affairs Unit, added:

“Afterwards, the commission will publish the personal particulars of the candidates in all its offices based on the schedule and timetable for the 2027 general elections.”

The National Chairman of the APC, Nentawe Yilwatda, on Monday presented nomination forms to three senatorial and 14 House of Representatives candidates in Oyo State.

The party’s governorship candidate, Sharafadeen Alli, is expected to receive his nomination form on Thursday alongside his yet-to-be-unveiled running mate. APC Publicity Secretary in the state, Wale Sadare, confirmed the development but declined comments on the governorship ticket.

Speaking at the presentation ceremony held at Abuja Continental Hotel, Abuja, Yilwatda, represented by Deputy National Auditor Olugbenga Olayemi, urged the candidates to maintain party unity and avoid divisive actions. He also charged them to immediately begin mobilisation efforts to secure victory for the APC.

He said the party had concluded that the Oyo primaries were free, fair and peaceful, and congratulated the candidates for emerging successful.

The candidates received INEC Forms EC13D and EC9.

Senatorial candidates include Yunus Akintunde (Oyo Central), Remi Oseni (Oyo South), and Hannah Ogunesan (Oyo North).

House of Representatives candidates include Bosun Oladele (Olorunsogo/Irepo/Oorelope); Tajudeen Kareem (Saki West/Saki East/Atisbo); Saheed Adejare Yusuf (Iseyin/Itesiwaju/Kajola/Iwajowa); Olamiju Alao-Akala (Ogbomoso North/South/Oriire); Olusegun Odebunmi (Ogo Oluwa/Surulere); Akeem Adeyemi (Afijio/Atiba/Oyo East/West); Tolulope Akande-Sadipe (Oluyole); Umar Farouk Alao-Arisekola (Ibadan North); Folake Olunloyo-Oshinowo (Ibadan North-West/South-West); Ola Iyiola (Ibadan South-East/North-East); Sarafadeen Olaoniye (Ibarapa North/Central); Yusuf Osuolale (Ibarapa East/Ido); Olafisoye Akinmoyede (Akinyele/Lagelu); and Akin Alabi (Egbeda/Ona Ara).

Speaking on behalf of the candidates, Kareem thanked President Bola Tinubu and the party leadership for their support and pledged commitment to APC’s success.

In Bayelsa, the PDP said it had received INEC access codes for uploading candidates for National and State Assembly elections, following submission of nomination forms.

The party said the process was progressing smoothly in line with the Electoral Act and INEC guidelines, describing it as a key step toward the 2027 elections. State chairman George Turnah urged members to remain united and focused on reclaiming power.

In Abia, political parties including APC, PDP, Labour Party and ADC confirmed receipt of INEC access codes for uploading candidates.

However, none released a final list of candidates, with parties citing ongoing internal processes. Labour Party chairman Peter Azubuike said its portal was active, while APC’s Uche Aguoru noted clarifications were still being awaited. ADC chairman Don Obinna said final lists were yet to be released, and PDP chairman Amah Abraham confirmed receipt of both list and access code. (PUNCH)

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