The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has restored access to the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) candidate nomination portal, enabling the party to commence the upload of its candidates for the 2027 general election despite an ongoing legal dispute over its registration.
The development follows the party’s filing of a notice of appeal and an application for a stay of execution against a recent Federal High Court judgment delivered in Lokoja.
The National Leader of the NDC and former Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson, announced the development on his X account, stating that the appeal and related applications had been served on INEC with a request for the commission to act in accordance with the law.
He maintained that the NDC remains a duly registered political party and that its primaries were validly conducted under INEC’s supervision.
According to him, the remaining step was the administrative submission of candidates’ names through the commission’s nomination portal.
Dickson disclosed that the names of the party’s presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, and his own as the National Assembly candidate had already been uploaded to the portal.
He added that the vice-presidential candidate’s name would be submitted upon completion of the required documentation, while the nomination of other candidates across the country was ongoing.
He also assured party members that there was sufficient time to complete the exercise, noting that INEC’s timetable sets July 11 as the deadline for National Assembly candidates and July 17 for governorship and State House of Assembly candidates.
Appealing for unity within the party, Dickson urged aspirants who were unsuccessful in the primaries to remain committed to the NDC.
He said reconciliation efforts had already begun and assured aggrieved members that they would be incorporated into the party’s campaign structures and committees ahead of the elections.
He reiterated that the party had successfully concluded its nomination processes and that its candidates had emerged through primaries monitored by INEC.
Dickson also commended INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, for what he described as the commission’s professionalism in handling the matter.
He expressed confidence that the judiciary would resolve the pending appeal in accordance with the law. The NDC has consistently argued that the Federal High Court judgment neither dissolved nor deregistered the party and maintains that it remains a legally recognised political party pending the outcome of its appeal.
