INEC Denies Issuing Candidate Upload Codes To Parties

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has dismissed reports that it has issued access codes to political parties to begin uploading the names and particulars of their candidates for the 2027 general elections.

The clarification followed reports that the commission had provided the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leadership, led by Abdulrahman Mohammed, with an access code.

The National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Jagunda Haruna Mohammed, was quoted as saying that INEC had issued the code to the Mohammed-led leadership, a development he claimed validated the party leadership’s legitimacy.

The reported issuance of the access code reportedly triggered protests from the Turaki-led faction of the PDP.

The faction reportedly objected to the electoral body’s alleged recognition of the Mohammed-led leadership.

According to the revised timetable and schedule of activities released by INEC, political parties are expected to begin collecting access codes from 9 a.m. on June 27 for the Presidential and National Assembly elections.

For governorship and state Houses of Assembly elections, the collection of access codes is scheduled to begin on July 18.

However, INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Haruna, in a chat with The Nation, denied that any access code had been issued to political parties.

In a response to enquiries, Haruna said the commission had scheduled a meeting with all political parties.

“We have not yet issued any access to any party. As a matter of fact, we’ve scheduled a meeting with all the parties for tomorrow at 11 am,” he said.