The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said that it will upload names of candidates who emerge from primaries monitored by its officials.

The commission, which stated this through its National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee (IVEC), Mohammed Kudu Haruna, stated that it will compare the results submitted by all registered political parties on its portal with the reports of its monitors across the country.

The National Commissioner, who stated this while speaking with Nigerian Tribune in Abuja, also said the commission had already uploaded the names of candidates who emerged winners at the end of primaries conducted by all political parties.

He revealed that all the 21 registered political parties had received their access codes to enable their designated national officers to upload the names, personal particulars, and other required information relating to nominated candidates.

He said: “At our own end, we have uploaded those who emerged from the primaries. So, we are waiting for them to come and go to the portal and upload all the forms that they are supposed to upload. And when they do that, we compare what they have brought with the reports from our own monitors, which we have uploaded.”

When contacted in another interview, the commissioner further stated that political parties would not be able to upload names that did not tally with the results already uploaded by the commission on its portal.

He, however, said that political parties had the window of substitution as provided in the Electoral Act.

He added that the political parties must first make their submissions based on the final outcomes of their appeal processes, while the commission ensured that they adhered strictly to the provisions of party constitutions.

When asked to explain what would happen if there was any difference between the names uploaded by INEC and political parties, he said, “The way we have configured our portal is such that if it is different, they won’t even be able to upload a new one. But they have their own appeal processes. At the end of the day, there is even a window for substitution in case whoever is there withdraws or dies. It is there in the Electoral Act.

“In the commission, we have to wait until they make their submissions. That is when the commission will sit to see whether to accept or not, of course, depending on how they adhere to their own internal peace mechanisms. Our own role is to make sure they adhere to their own constitutions when we go for monitoring.

“Obviously, if you remember the case of Ahmed Lawan, former Senate President. Initially, they couldn’t substitute because the person who won the primary was the one our platform. Eventually, it went to the Supreme Court, and the Supreme Court said we can’t tell them that. Whether it is technicality or not, at the end of the day, we have to substitute the person with Lawan.

“So, what I said is that our portal will not accept any name different from the one that we have. But we can only take a decision when they have made submissions. And the commission now sits over it to see whether their submission is consistent with their own party constitution.

“They probably have to explain why they change the name. Like I said, it is when they do that that we will be able to interrogate and take a final decision. Right now, I can’t tell you automatically that if they bring, we will reject. But the way we have configured our portal is such that if what they bring is different from the results that we uploaded, it will reject it. But the final outcome depends on their appeal processes. Each party has their own appeal

When asked if the commission had given access codes to all political parties, he said, “All of them have received the access codes. I think the last one to receive the access codes was NNPP (last week). All of them have received their access codes. The ball is now in their court.”

He said that the INEC Portal would reject names that did not tally with field results from the commissions officials.

The commissioner also revealed that the electoral body had not met on the reported letter from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) on the replacement of some federal legislative candidates.

When asked about the letter to INEC requesting for the change of some names, he said, “The commission has not met to take any decision on that. So, I can’t tell you categorically that we will accept or reject.”

Last week, the APC dropped former Benue State Governor Gabriel Suswam and ex-House of Representatives member Gbenga Elegbeleye from its final list of National Assembly candidates submitted to INEC.

The National Working Committee (NWC) also replaced five other senatorial aspirants and 19 House of Representatives candidates in what the party described as a fallout of its post-primary appeals process.

According to documents, the adjustments affected constituencies in Kogi, Abia, Benue, Taraba, Ondo, Niger, Kwara, Kaduna and Ebonyi states.

The revised list was forwarded to INEC through a joint letter signed by APC National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, and National Secretary, Senator Ajibola Basiru.

Titled “Forwarding of Approved List of Senatorial and House of Representatives Candidates,” the letter said the changes followed recommendations by the party’s Primary Election Appeal Committee after “a comprehensive review of the nomination process.”

The party said the replacements complied with the Electoral Act 2022 and INEC guidelines.

The NWC said the exercise was aimed at resolving disputes from the primaries and strengthening the party’s contests in the affected states.

The final senatorial list produced major upsets. In Benue North East, Suswam was replaced by Emmanuel Memga Udende. In Benue North West, Titus Tartenger Zam took over from Benjamin T. Aber.

In Ondo, Elegbeleye lost the Ondo North ticket to Olajide Ipinsagbe, while Taiwo Fasorati was swapped for Adeniyi Adegbonmire in Ondo Central.

Other key changes: Kogi West: Senator Sunday Karimi replaced Aro Samuel Bamidele.

Abia South: Prince Paul Ikonne replaced Edinburgh Uchenna Erondu.

Taraba North: Shuibu Isa Lau replaced Mohammed Kabir Bello.

The House of Representatives list also saw a major shake-up.

Benue had five winners dropped, including Ikper Chris Terfa of Makurdi/Guma, replaced by Dickson Tarkighir, and Livinus Tsar Adzor of Vandekiya/Konshsha, replaced by Sesoo Ikpagher.

Ondo recorded six changes. Donald Ojogo replaced Akingboye Leke in Ilaje/Ese-Ode, while Festus Olarewaju replaced Rasaq Obe in Idanre Federal Constituency.

Officially, INEC began to issue access codes to political parties for the Candidate Nomination Portal for the nomination of candidates for the 2027 general elections on Friday, June 26 after a two-day training programme for their officials on the use of the INEC Candidate Nomination Portal (ICNP).

The candidate nomination commenced the following day on June 27, 2026.

In its revised timetable, the INEC had said political parties must submit nominations for Presidential and National Assembly candidates from June 27 to July 11, 2026.

A top source in the commission told Nigerian Tribune that the electoral body would release names of the candidates at the end of upload by political parties.

Already, two political parties – the ADC and the NDC – have confirmed the start of the exercise with the upload of their presidential candidates and their running mates.

On June 6, the Chairman of INEC, Professor Joash Amupitan stated that all submissions by political parties 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.

Although party primaries for the election of candidates were concluded on May 30, there was tension following the failure of some political parties to issue certificates of return to elected candidates.

The uncertainty was worsened by party leaders’ statements that results announced at collation centres may not stand, since party leadership retains final authority.

APC National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, said only parties would announce final results.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio also told colleagues who lost primaries “it was not the end of the matter.”

Later, Akpabio met with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, while Speaker Abbas Tajudeen and other House leaders also met the president. Both meetings were seen as moves to accommodate aspirants who lost out.

According to the revised timetable and schedule of activities for the 2027 General Election, Presidential and National Assembly elections are now fixed for Saturday, 16th January 2027, while Governorship and State Assembly elections will hold on Saturday, 6th February 2027. (Nigerian Tribune)

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