By Our Reporter
The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has said the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has yet to provide the access code needed to upload its candidates for the 2027 elections. The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Osa Director, said the NDC had formally requested the code but had received no response, adding that the party would seek a stay of execution of a recent Federal High Court judgment.
The Federal High Court in Lokoja, Kogi State, had ruled that INEC should not recognise the NDC as a political party pending the resolution of legal disputes over its registration. The court also set aside its earlier judgment that compelled INEC to register the party after the Peace Movement Party (PMP) claimed ownership of the logo used by the NDC.
Rejecting the ruling, NDC National Chairman, Senator Cleopas Zuwoghe, said the party would appeal the judgment, expressing confidence that the Court of Appeal would overturn the decision. He maintained that the legal battle would not stop the party’s preparations and insisted that its presidential candidate, Peter Obi, his running mate, and other candidates would remain on the ballot for the 2027 elections.
Similarly, the Labour Party (LP) said it was still awaiting INEC’s access code. A senior party official disclosed that while nomination forms had already been distributed to candidates, the party would upload the required documents immediately after INEC releases the codes, which it was expected to do by Monday.
However, the party confirmed that it had already been notified by INEC that its access code was ready. National Chairman, Sunny Adenuga, reportedly said the party would collect the code early in the week and proceed with uploading its candidates.