2027: Labour Party receives INEC access code to upload candidates

The Labour Party (LP) has confirmed receiving the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) access code required to upload the names and particulars of its candidates for the 2027 general election, ending days of uncertainty over the exercise.

The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Ken Asogwa, confirmed the development in a telephone interview on Tuesday.

“Yes, the codes were released to us yesterday. I received confirmation from our national chairman,” Asogwa said.

The confirmation came after concerns emerged that several political parties, including the Labour Party, had yet to receive the sensitive credentials needed to complete candidate submissions on INEC’s portal.

Parties grappling with internal leadership disputes had also expressed fears that the access codes could be issued to rival factions, potentially complicating their participation in the 2027 elections.

Sources familiar with the process said INEC delayed the release of some access codes while it verified the legal status and recognised leadership of affected political parties, relying on existing court judgments and due process before granting access.

The Labour Party’s confirmation is expected to ease concerns within the party over its ability to meet INEC’s deadline for uploading candidates’ details.

As of Tuesday, however, INEC had yet to issue an official statement confirming the release of the access code to the Labour Party or explaining the basis for the timing of the exercise.

The development came as political parties race to conclude their primaries and submit the details of their candidates ahead of the commission’s deadline for the 2027 general election.