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Anxiety has intensified within major political parties, particularly the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), following the release of access codes by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the upload of candidates' details to its nomination portal ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Investigations indicate that the development has heightened uncertainty among aspirants, especially those contesting National Assembly seats, whose nominations are expected to be uploaded to the commission's portal this week. While candidates who emerged through consensus arrangements appear relatively confident, those produced through direct primaries are said to be closely monitoring the process amid fears that pending petitions could alter the final list.
Party insiders disclosed that several aggrieved APC aspirants are banking on appeals lodged before the party's appeal panels, hoping the National Working Committee (NWC) will reverse the outcome of some primaries before the names are forwarded to INEC.
A source within the ruling party said senior APC officials have largely stayed away from the party's national secretariat in recent days to avoid confrontations with dissatisfied aspirants seeking clarification over the fate of their nominations.
According to the source, the APC has already received the official access code from INEC and commenced the upload process on Monday, although candidates for state Houses of Assembly will not be uploaded at this stage.
The development comes as the APC formally disowned a purported list of successful candidates circulating on social media and other platforms. In a statement, the party's National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, described the list as fake and unauthorised, insisting that no official list had been released.
Morka urged party members and the public to disregard unofficial publications, assuring that successful candidates would be notified through the party's established channels before certificates of return are issued.
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has accused INEC of withholding the access code required to upload its candidates, claiming the action has frustrated its participation in the nomination process.
The allegation follows a recent Federal High Court judgment ordering the deregistration of the party, a decision the NDC has vowed to challenge through the appellate process.
NDC National Publicity Secretary, Osa Director, said party officials approached INEC to obtain the access credentials but were allegedly told to wait for further communication, leaving the party unable to complete the mandatory nomination process.
He maintained that the failure to upload candidates should not be blamed on the party, arguing that the delay resulted from the commission's inability to provide the required portal access.
The party disclosed that it would return to INEC while simultaneously filing a stay of execution to halt enforcement of the court judgment pending the determination of its appeal.
Reacting to the allegation, INEC denied knowledge of any refusal to issue access codes to the NDC. Director of Voter Education and Publicity, Victoria Eta-Messi, said the commission had no record of such a complaint, insisting that parties that requested access had been issued the necessary credentials.
She also stated that INEC had yet to receive a formal brief regarding the court judgment affecting the NDC, adding that the commission would study the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the ruling before taking any official action.
A senior INEC official similarly disclosed that the electoral body was awaiting the certified court judgment before deciding its next line of action, stressing that any decision would be guided strictly by the law.
In contrast, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) confirmed that it had successfully received its access code from INEC and had begun preparations to upload the names and particulars of its nominated candidates.
Under INEC's revised electoral timetable, political parties are expected to submit the names and credentials of their candidates between June 27 and July 11, 2026.
INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, had earlier announced that access codes would be issued to all political parties to enable designated national officers upload candidates' information through the commission's fully automated Candidate Nomination Portal.
The commission warned that the portal would automatically shut at the expiration of the submission deadline, urging political parties to ensure their ICT personnel and relevant officials complete all uploads within the stipulated period.
