By Ahmed Yusuf
National News – Fresh political tensions have erupted across major parties following the opening of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) portal for the submission of candidates for the 2027 general elections.
The development has exposed deep divisions within several political parties, particularly the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), where rival leadership factions are locked in a battle over who has the legal authority to submit candidates to the electoral body.
The faction aligned with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, confirmed it had received INEC’s access code and had commenced uploading candidates’ details to the commission’s portal.
PDP National Organising Secretary, Umar Bature, said the party had received all required documents from INEC and was confident of completing the submission ahead of the deadline.
“We have commenced uploading candidates’ details and will conclude the process before the deadline. The party is fully prepared for the 2027 elections,” Bature said.
However, the rival PDP Interim National Working Committee led by Tanimu Turaki (SAN) said it had yet to receive the access code, insisting that ongoing court cases would ultimately determine the legitimate leadership of the party before the submission deadline.
The faction’s spokesman, Ini Ememobong, accused INEC of bias against opposition parties and questioned the credibility of the commission’s leadership ahead of the elections.
Responding to the controversy, INEC National Commissioner Mohammed Haruna said political parties had begun collecting access codes since June 26, adding that the commission only recognises the PDP leadership affirmed by the courts.
“I don’t know about any faction in the PDP. We recognise the leadership recognised by the court, and that is the position we will continue to follow,” Haruna said.
Beyond the PDP, internal disputes have also emerged in several states over the authenticity of candidates’ lists and nomination processes.
In Lagos, uncertainty persists within the PDP over the governorship ticket, with rival aspirants laying claim to the party’s nomination.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos also dismissed reports of changes to its candidates’ list, maintaining that the names produced from the primaries remain valid pending any directive from the party’s national leadership.
In Ondo State, hundreds of APC women staged a protest in Akure, rejecting what they described as an altered list of House of Representatives candidates released after the party’s primaries.
The protesters alleged that the published list did not reflect the outcome of the elections conducted across the state’s 203 wards and demanded that the party leadership uphold the will of members.
However, another coalition of APC stakeholders defended the party’s National Working Committee, arguing that the review of primary election results was necessary to ensure compliance with the party’s constitution.
Across several states, including Edo, Kogi, Jigawa, Bayelsa, Plateau, Oyo, Kwara and Abia, political parties confirmed receiving INEC access codes and have either begun uploading candidates or concluded documentation for submission.
Some states, however, continue to experience delays due to unresolved internal disputes and pending court cases.
In Borno, the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) said it was still awaiting its access code from INEC, while the African Democratic Congress (ADC) confirmed it had received its own and would begin uploading candidates this week.
In Adamawa, uncertainty surrounding court cases and unresolved primary elections has left many aspirants unwilling to disclose the status of their nominations.
INEC’s timetable provides that political parties received portal access codes on June 26, while the deadline for submission of candidates is July 18.
The latest developments underscore growing concerns over internal democracy within political parties as preparations for the 2027 general elections gather momentum, with legal battles and leadership disputes threatening to complicate the nomination process.
