INEC Grants Access Codes to All Parties Except NNPP
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has distributed access codes to nearly every registered political party, enabling them to submit candidate information through the commission’s nomination portal. As of Tuesday evening, the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) was the sole party that had not yet collected its code.
NDC Receives Code Despite Ongoing Litigation
Earlier reports indicated that the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) also received its access code, even though a court judgment involving the party is still pending. A senior INEC official explained that the commission granted the NDC access after taking judicial notice of the party’s appeal and its application for a stay of execution.
The official emphasized that the decision was made without prejudice to the final outcome of the case, stating:
“Senator Seriake, their National Leader, claimed they’ve appealed the ruling and applied for stay of execution. It’s only proper to take judicial notice of their appeal and not deny them the code. Obviously, this is without prejudice to the final outcome of the case,”
the source said
The official added that the pending appeal and the request for a stay of execution were deemed sufficient grounds to allow the NDC to use the Candidate Nomination Portal while the matter remains before the courts.
Near‑Complete Distribution of Codes
By Tuesday evening, virtually all registered political parties had collected their access codes from INEC. The source confirmed, “All but NNPP have collected their code.” These codes permit parties to upload the particulars of their candidates to INEC’s nomination portal in line with the timetable for the forthcoming elections.
The clarification addresses public curiosity about why the NDC was granted access despite a recent court ruling affecting the party. INEC maintains that providing the access code does not prejudice the final determination of the ongoing litigation.
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