We Met INEC Deadline, Uploaded Candidates – Wike-backed PDP

The faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) loyal to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, has denied reports that it failed to meet the deadline set by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to upload presidential and vice presidential candidates to its nomination portal for the 2027 election.

The party insisted that it successfully uploaded the names and particulars of its presidential and vice-presidential candidates at exactly 11:50 a.m. on Thursday, July 10, 2026, in full compliance with the Commission’s nomination guidelines.

The clarification was given in a statement on Wednesday by the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Jungudo Haruna Mohammed.

Naija News recalls that an earlier report had claimed that the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) faction led by Nyesom Wike, and the Labour Party (LP) faction led by Nenadi Usman, failed to submit their presidential and vice-presidential candidates on the INEC portal, which closed at 11:59 pm on Tuesday.

However, Mohammed described the claim as false and misleading, maintaining that the nomination of its candidates was completed within the timeframe stipulated by INEC.

“The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) successfully uploaded the names and particulars of its Presidential and Vice-Presidential candidates to the INEC nomination portal at exactly 11:50 a.m. on Thursday, 10 July 2026, in full compliance with the Commission’s requirements and within the stipulated timeline,” the statement said.

The party maintained that the report created an erroneous impression that it had failed to meet a key electoral requirement ahead of the 2027 general election.

It expressed concern that the publication was based on information that was not verified with the party before it was published, stressing that issues concerning compliance with electoral procedures should be handled with accuracy to avoid misleading the public.

The PDP faction reaffirmed its commitment to complying with all provisions of the Electoral Act and INEC’s nomination guidelines, urging Nigerians to disregard reports suggesting that it failed to submit its presidential ticket before the deadline.

The faction also called for a correction of the report, saying such a move would be in the interest of fairness and professionalism.