The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of denying it the access code needed to upload the names of its candidates to the commission’s nomination portal.
The development comes as the party prepares to challenge a recent Federal High Court judgment ordering its deregistration.
Speaking on the matter, the party’s National Spokesman, Osa Director, said the NDC had approached INEC to obtain the access code required to complete the online submission of its candidates, but the request was not granted.
According to him, officials of the electoral body told the party they would “get back” to them, leaving the NDC unable to complete the mandatory upload before the court issued its deregistration order.
“We approached INEC to collect the access code to upload the names of our candidates to the INEC portal. They told us that they will get back to us,” he said.
Director insisted that the party’s inability to upload its candidates should not be seen as negligence, maintaining that the delay was caused by INEC’s failure to provide the required credentials.
He further disclosed that the party would return to INEC to make another request while also taking legal steps to halt the enforcement of the court’s judgment.
“We will go back there by tomorrow. I believe by tomorrow we must have filed a stay of execution in court,” he added.
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BACKSTORY…
The controversy comes on the heels of a Federal High Court judgment ordering the deregistration of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), a decision the party has vowed to challenge.
The NDC has argued that its inability to upload candidates for the upcoming elections was not due to internal lapses but because the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) failed to provide the access code needed to complete the nomination process.
The development has further fueled concerns over the party’s legal status and its participation in future elections, as it battles to overturn the court ruling and secure recognition as a political platform ahead of the 2027 general elections.
