The legal cloud over the Nigeria Democratic Congress has not stopped it from getting its candidates onto INEC’s portal — and the party’s National Leader wants its members to know that.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) restored the Nigeria Democratic Congress‘ (NDC) access to its candidate nomination portal on Tuesday, July 1, 2026, allowing the party to upload the names of its presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and its National Leader, Senator Seriake Dickson.
The development was confirmed by Dickson himself via a post on his X account.
The restoration came just days after a Federal High Court in Lokoja, Kogi State, reversed its December 2025 judgment that had ordered INEC to register the NDC, following a challenge by the Peace Movement Party over alleged logo ownership.
That ruling had thrown the party’s 2027 participation into question.
The NDC immediately filed a notice of appeal and an application for a stay of execution, and served both documents on INEC with a covering letter.
Dickson said INEC’s response to that filing was swift and appropriate.
“Today, the NDC has filed an appeal against the ruling as well as a stay of execution/injunction, which has been served with a covering letter to the INEC chairman and his team to do what is right according to law and what is legally sensible.”
He was clear about the party’s legal standing. “The Nigeria Democratic Congress has come to stay and remains a duly registered party in Nigeria which has participated in all the political processes so far.”
Peter Obi and Dickson Uploaded; VP Candidate to Follow
With portal access restored, the party moved immediately. Dickson confirmed that both his name and Obi’s had been successfully entered into the INEC system.
“My name and that of the presidential candidate have been uploaded to the INEC portal, while that of the vice presidential candidate will be done tomorrow upon completion of the deposition. The process is also ongoing for other candidates,” he said.
Dickson also reassured NDC members that the party had enough time to complete its nominations within INEC’s published schedule.
“In accordance with the INEC timetable, which we have religiously abided by, we have between now and the 11th of next month to upload all National Assembly candidates, while those of governors and state Houses of Assembly will end on the 17th of July. So there is enough time for all candidates’ names to be submitted to INEC and there is no reason for anyone to panic.”
He also thanked INEC Chairman Professor Joash Amupitan by name, praising the commission’s handling of the situation.
“We thank INEC, led by Professor Joash Amupitan, for their professionalism so far, and we expect them to continue on this path. Having filed and served our appeal and the accompanying applications, the ball is now in the court of the judiciary, and we expect the judiciary to do what is right under the law.”
ADC Confirms Atiku and Amaechi Uploaded to INEC Portal
In a separate but equally significant development on Tuesday, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) confirmed it had successfully uploaded the particulars of its presidential and vice-presidential candidates to INEC’s nomination portal.
The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Malam Bolaji Abdullahi, announced via his X account that former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar — the ADC's presidential flag bearer — and former Transport Minister Rotimi Amaechi, the party’s vice-presidential candidate, had both been submitted.
“We are pleased to announce successful upload of the names and particulars of our presidential and vice-presidential candidates to the INEC nomination portal,” Abdullahi stated.
Dickson also used the occasion to appeal to NDC members who had contested primaries unsuccessfully, assuring them they would be absorbed into the party’s campaign structures.
“The reconciliation processes have started and we expect them to reach everyone. We assure them that all those who expressed interest will be carried along in the party’s campaigns, committees and structures because they constitute the grassroots strength and the backbone of our party,” he said.
