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From Adesuwa Tsan, Abuja
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has restored access to the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC)’s candidate nomination portal, allowing the party to begin uploading the names of its candidates for the 2027 general election despite the ongoing legal battle over its registration.
National Leader of the NDC and former Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson, disclosed this on Tuesday on his X account, saying the development followed the party’s filing of a notice of appeal and an application for stay of execution against the recent judgment of the Federal High Court in Lokoja.
Dickson said the appeal and accompanying applications had been served on INEC alongside a covering letter urging the electoral commission to act in line with the law.
He maintained that the NDC remains a duly registered political party and that all its primaries were validly conducted under the supervision of INEC.
According to him, the only outstanding process was the administrative submission of candidates’ names through the commission’s nomination portal.
He disclosed that his name as the party’s National Assembly candidate and that of the NDC presidential candidate, Peter Obi, had already been uploaded to the portal.
Dickson added that the name of the vice presidential candidate would be uploaded after the completion of the necessary documentation, while the nomination of other candidates across the country was also underway.
“The Nigeria Democratic Congress has come to stay and remains a duly registered party in Nigeria which has participated in all the political processes so far.
“Nomination processes have already been concluded and, in the eyes of the law, candidates have already emerged from the party for all offices across the country in primaries observed, monitored and recorded by INEC.
“What is left is the administrative process of submitting the names to INEC, and we have been granted access to the portal to upload our qualified candidates,” he said.
The former Bayelsa governor urged party members and supporters not to panic, assuring them that there was sufficient time to complete the submission of candidates’ names within INEC’s timetable.
He noted that the party had until July 11 to upload the names of its National Assembly candidates and until July 17 to submit those of governorship and State House of Assembly candidates.
Dickson also appealed to aggrieved aspirants who lost in the party’s primaries to remain committed to the NDC, saying reconciliation efforts had already commenced. He assured them that they would be fully integrated into the party’s campaign structures and committees ahead of the elections.
The NDC leader thanked INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, for what he described as the commission’s professionalism in handling the matter and expressed confidence that the judiciary would resolve the pending appeal in accordance with the law.
The development comes days after the NDC filed an appeal against the Federal High Court judgment that created uncertainty over the party’s legal status. The party has consistently argued that the judgment neither dissolved nor deregistered it and insists it remains a legally recognised political party pending the determination of its appeal.
