The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced that it will open its Candidate Nomination Portal for the 2027 General Election on 26 June, 2026.
The announcement was contained in a statement and briefing delivered at the Commission’s Second Quarterly Consultative Meeting with leaders of political parties held on Tuesday in Abuja.
On candidate nomination for the 2027 General Election, INEC said it will issue access codes to all registered political parties on 26 June, 2026, enabling them to upload details of their nominated candidates through its online portal.
The Commission warned that the nomination platform is fully automated and will shut down at the end of the stipulated timeframe without extension, urging political parties to ensure their ICT officers and relevant officials are fully prepared ahead of the deadline.
INEC also urged political parties to intensify voter education and mobilisation for the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration exercise, encouraging eligible Nigerians who have attained 18 years, as well as those seeking correction or transfer of records, to complete their registration and collect their Permanent Voter Cards.
The Commission further expressed concern over ongoing court cases involving internal leadership disputes within some political parties, warning that such litigations could disrupt preparations and urging parties to resolve internal disagreements without delay.
On legal matters affecting its timetable, INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, explained that the Commission filed appeals against two recent Federal High Court judgments that questioned aspects of its Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the 2027 General Election.
He said the suits—FHC/ABJ/CS/517/2026 (Youth Party v. INEC) and FHC/ABJ/CS/720/2026 (Social Democratic Party v. INEC)—raised fundamental questions about the Commission’s powers in regulating electoral timelines, especially issues around nomination and substitution procedures.
According to him, “These judgments raise important legal questions concerning the extent of the Commission’s constitutional and statutory powers in coordinating and regulating electoral activities.”
Prof. Amupitan maintained that the timetable comprises interconnected processes required for credible elections, adding that INEC had approached appellate courts to obtain authoritative interpretations on the disputed issues.
He explained that key electoral activities such as party membership verification, monitoring of primaries, pre-upload of results, printing of ballot materials, configuration of BVAS machines, and inspection of election materials have no strict statutory timelines but must be integrated into a structured electoral calendar.
“The Commission therefore considers it imperative that all electoral activities be harmonised within a coherent and workable framework that promotes certainty, transparency, administrative efficiency and equal treatment of all political parties,” he said.
He assured that despite the ongoing appeals, INEC remains committed to conducting the 2027 General Election in line with the Constitution and the Electoral Act.
The INEC Chairman also provided updates on upcoming elections, noting that preparations for the Ekiti State Governorship Election scheduled for 20 June, 2026 were progressing steadily.
He said the state’s register of voters now stands at 1,059,360, following the addition of 66,664 new registrants from the Continuous Voter Registration exercise, while 2,103 multiple registrations were removed to safeguard the integrity of the register.
He added that logistics deployment, technology readiness, and training of election personnel were on schedule, with all 2,445 polling units across Ekiti State’s 16 local government areas expected to open simultaneously at 8:30 a.m. on election day.
Prof. Amupitan further disclosed that bye-elections will hold the same day in six constituencies, including Enugu North and Nasarawa North Senatorial Districts, Rivers South-East Senatorial District, Ondo South Senatorial District, Dawakin Kudu/Warawa Federal Constituency in Kano State, and Zuru State Constituency in Kebbi State.
He said the same operational standards, technology safeguards, and security arrangements for Ekiti would be applied across all bye-elections.
He also referenced the Osun State Governorship Election scheduled for 15 August, 2026, urging political parties to strictly comply with electoral guidelines and timelines.
On the political side, the National Chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), Dr. Yusuf Mamman Dantalle, supported INEC’s decision to appeal the court rulings, saying conflicting judgments had created uncertainty for stakeholders in the electoral process.
He, however, called for a comprehensive review of the Electoral Act 2026, particularly Section 84(2), which limits party primaries to consensus and direct methods, excluding indirect primaries.
“Electoral laws should promote democratic participation, strengthen political institutions, and advance the national interest rather than create avoidable obstacles to effective political competition,” he said.
Dr. Dantalle said the provision had placed pressure on parties during nominations, forcing consensus arrangements even where multiple aspirants existed, with several disputes already ending up in court.
He also condemned recent political violence in Osun State, urging restraint and issue-based campaigns ahead of upcoming elections, warning that no political ambition justifies violence or loss of lives.