2027 Race Intensifies As INEC Portal Triggers Fresh Party Disputes
Portal Access Signals New Phase of 2027 Electoral Process
THE opening of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) portal for the submission of candidates for the 2027 general elections has triggered fresh political tensions across several parties, exposing unresolved leadership disputes, disputed primary elections and intense competition over who controls the nomination process.
With political parties required to upload candidates’ details within the commission’s stipulated timetable, rival factions in some parties have begun contesting authority over the submission process, while several state chapters are dealing with protests and legal challenges arising from recently concluded primaries.
The development has shifted attention from campaign preparations to internal party administration, highlighting the strategic importance of INEC’s candidate nomination portal in determining who eventually appears on the ballot.
PDP Leadership Crisis Dominates Candidate Upload Process
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) remains at the centre of the controversy following its prolonged national leadership dispute.
The faction aligned with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, confirmed that it had received INEC’s official access code and commenced uploading candidates for the 2027 elections.
PDP National Organising Secretary Umar Bature said the party had received all required documentation from INEC and had begun submitting candidates’ particulars through the commission’s portal ahead of the deadline.
According to him, the recognised leadership was confident that the upload process would be completed within the stipulated period and expressed optimism about the party’s preparations for the general election.
However, the rival Interim National Working Committee led by Tanimu Turaki (SAN) disclosed that it had not received the access code, maintaining that pending court cases would ultimately determine which leadership possesses the legal authority to submit candidates.
The parallel claims underscore the continuing institutional crisis within the opposition party following the Supreme Court judgment that invalidated the 2025 PDP National Convention and the subsequent emergence of competing leadership structures.
INEC Reaffirms Recognition of Court-Endorsed Leadership
INEC has reiterated that it recognises only the leadership of political parties affirmed by competent courts.
National Commissioner Mohammed Haruna disclosed that political parties had been collecting their portal access codes since 26 June, explaining that the commission strictly follows judicial pronouncements when determining recognised party leadership.
Haruna declined to comment on internal factional disputes, stressing that the commission’s responsibility is limited to implementing valid court decisions and administering the nomination process in accordance with the Electoral Act and INEC regulations.
His remarks reinforce the commission’s position that only candidates submitted by recognised party executives will be processed through the nomination portal.
State Chapters Face Growing Internal Disputes
Beyond the PDP’s national crisis, internal disagreements have surfaced across several states.
In Lagos State, uncertainty persists within the PDP over competing governorship claims involving Adedeji Doherty and Adetokunbo Pearse, while party leaders remain hopeful that legitimate candidates will eventually appear on INEC’s final list.
The Lagos chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), meanwhile, insists that its list of legislative candidates remains unchanged despite complaints from unsuccessful aspirants.
In Ondo State, dissatisfaction escalated into public protests as hundreds of APC women demonstrated against what they described as the publication of candidate lists that failed to reflect the outcome of the party’s direct primaries.
The protesters accused unnamed party leaders of attempting to substitute candidates and demanded respect for the mandate produced during the primary elections.
However, another coalition of APC stakeholders defended the National Working Committee’s review process, arguing that the exercise was necessary to uphold internal democracy and ensure compliance with party regulations.
States Begin Candidate Uploads
Across the federation, many political parties have commenced uploading candidates after obtaining INEC access codes.
State chapters in Edo, Jigawa, Bayelsa, Kogi, Kwara, Abia and several other states confirmed varying stages of compliance with the nomination timetable.
While some states reported smooth documentation and submission processes, others acknowledged delays arising from pending appeals, court cases and unresolved internal disagreements.
In Benue, some successful aspirants confirmed receiving nomination forms while others remained awaiting distribution.
Similarly, parties in Adamawa and Borno indicated that legal uncertainties and administrative processes were still affecting preparations in some constituencies.
Election Management Moves into Critical Stage
Political observers note that candidate submission represents one of the most decisive phases of Nigeria’s electoral cycle because only candidates successfully uploaded through the INEC portal within the prescribed period can participate in the general election.
The exercise is expected to test the internal cohesion of political parties as disputes over candidate selection, leadership legitimacy and primary election outcomes increasingly shift from party secretariats to electoral regulators and the courts.
With the submission deadline approaching, attention is likely to remain focused on whether political parties can resolve outstanding disputes without jeopardising their participation in the 2027 elections.
