The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of failing to provide the access code required to upload its candidates to the commission’s nomination portal.
Speaking on the matter, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Osa Director, said the NDC had formally requested the access code but had not received any response from the electoral commission.
“We have approached INEC, but they are yet to respond to our request. Hopefully, we shall be in court today to file for a stay of execution of the Lokoja Federal High Court ruling,” he said.
The allegation comes after a judgment delivered by the Federal High Court in Lokoja, Kogi State, directing INEC not to recognise the NDC as a political party pending the resolution of legal disputes surrounding its registration.
The court had previously set aside its December 2025 judgment, which compelled INEC to register the NDC, following a challenge by an association known as the Peace Movement Party (PMP) over the party’s logo.
Rejecting the latest ruling, the NDC insisted that it remains a legally recognised political party and vowed to challenge the judgment at the Court of Appeal.
Addressing journalists in Abuja, the party’s National Chairman, Moses Cleopas Zuwoghe, argued that the court did not order the deregistration of the NDC and therefore its legal status remains valid.
According to him, the party was officially registered by INEC after the December 2025 court judgment, following the commission’s earlier refusal to approve its application.
Zuwoghe stated that since its registration, the NDC has conducted membership registration, ward, local government, state and national congresses, conventions, and primary elections in line with INEC’s approved timetable.
He further disclosed that the party had already participated in by-elections in Nasarawa and Enugu states and had successfully nominated candidates for the House of Assembly, House of Representatives, Senate, governorship, presidential, and vice-presidential elections ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The NDC also argued that the Peace Movement Party is neither a registered political party nor an association currently seeking registration with INEC, maintaining that the Federal High Court became functus officio after delivering its earlier final judgment on the matter.
The party announced that it would file its appeal by Monday, expressing confidence that the Court of Appeal would overturn the ruling.
Zuwoghe further alleged that recent judicial decisions affecting opposition parties were intended to weaken political competition but insisted that such moves would not stop the NDC from participating in the 2027 elections.
He reassured supporters that the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Gregory Obi, his running mate, and all other NDC candidates would remain on the ballot.
The party chairman added that he would continue engaging with INEC to obtain the candidate-upload access code despite the court ruling, insisting that the ongoing legal dispute has not disrupted the party’s preparations for the 2027 general elections.
He urged party members and supporters to remain calm, continue their campaigns, and actively participate in the electoral process, expressing confidence that the judiciary would ultimately uphold the party’s position.
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