ABUJA – The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of failing to respond to its request for an access code needed to upload the names of its candidates to the commission’s nomination portal.
The National Publicity Secretary of the NDC, Osa Director, disclosed this while speaking with Vanguard on Sunday.
According to him, the party has formally approached INEC for the access code but is still awaiting a response.
“We have approached INEC, but they are yet to respond to our request. Hopefully, we shall be in court tomorrow (today) to file for a stay of execution of the Lokoja Federal High Court ruling,” he said.
The development comes on the heels of a judgment delivered on Friday by the Federal High Court in Lokoja, Kogi State, directing INEC not to recognise the NDC as a political party pending the resolution of all legal issues surrounding its registration.
The court had earlier vacated its December 2025 judgment, which compelled INEC to register the NDC, after an application by the Peace Movement Party (PMP). The PMP claimed ownership of the logo allegedly used by the NDC to secure its registration.
Despite the ruling, the NDC has maintained that it remains a legally recognised political party and has vowed to challenge the decision at the Court of Appeal.
Addressing journalists in Abuja on Friday, the party’s National Chairman, Senator Moses Cleopas Zuwoghe, criticised the Lokoja court’s judgment, insisting that it did not order the deregistration of the party.
According to Zuwoghe, the ruling does not affect the NDC’s legal status as a registered political party, adding that the party has already commenced the process of appealing the judgment.
The NDC also said it would seek a stay of execution of the Federal High Court’s ruling while awaiting the determination of its appeal.
