INEC Restores NDC Portal as Peter Obi and Seriake Dickson Candidate Names Emerge

((NDC) and former Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Henry Dickson. Photo Credit: Dickson)

The Independent National Electoral Commission has restored the Nigeria Democratic Congress's access to its candidate nomination portal, allowing the party to upload the names of its National Leader, Senator Seriake Dickson, and presidential candidate, Peter Obi, despite the ongoing legal battle over the party's status.

Dickson disclosed the development in a post on his X account on Tuesday, describing it as a positive step after the party filed a notice of appeal and an application for stay of execution against last week's judgment of the Federal High Court in Lokoja.

He said the appeal and accompanying applications had been served on the electoral commission with a covering letter urging it to act in accordance with the law.

According to him, the NDC remains a duly registered political party and has validly conducted its primaries under INEC's supervision.

He stated that the party had filed an appeal against the ruling along with a stay of execution/injunction, which had been served with a covering letter to the INEC chairman and his team urging them to do what is right according to law and what is legally sensible.

He maintained that the Nigeria Democratic Congress has come to stay and remains a duly registered party in Nigeria that has participated in all political processes so far, noting that nomination processes had already been concluded and that, in the eyes of the law, candidates had already emerged from the party for all offices across the country in primaries observed, monitored and recorded by INEC.

He added that what was left was the administrative process of submitting the names to INEC, and that the party had been granted access to the portal to upload its qualified candidates.

Dickson disclosed that his name and that of the party's presidential candidate had already been uploaded to the commission's portal, stating that while his name and that of the presidential candidate had been uploaded, that of the vice presidential candidate would be done the following day upon completion of the deposition, with the process also ongoing for other candidates.

The Senator urged party members not to panic, noting that there was still sufficient time to complete the nomination process within INEC's timetable.

He explained that in accordance with the INEC timetable, which the party had religiously abided by, they had between then and the 11th of the following month to upload all National Assembly candidates, while those of governors and State Houses of Assembly would end on the 17th of July, stressing that there was enough time for all candidates' names to be submitted to INEC and no reason for anyone to panic.

The former Bayelsa State governor also appealed to unsuccessful aspirants to support the party, saying reconciliation efforts had commenced.

He said the reconciliation processes had started and were expected to reach everyone, assuring that all those who had expressed interest would be carried along in the party's campaigns, committees and structures because they constitute the grassroots strength and backbone of the party.

Dickson thanked INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, for what he described as the commission's professionalism, and urged the judiciary to determine the appeal in accordance with the law.

He expressed gratitude to INEC, led by Professor Amupitan, for their professionalism so far, expressing hope that they would continue on this path, and noted that having filed and served the appeal and accompanying applications, the matter now rested with the judiciary, which he expected to do what is right under the law.

The development comes days after the NDC filed an appeal challenging the Federal High Court judgment that sparked uncertainty over the party's registration, insisting the judgment neither dissolved nor deregistered the party.

The opposition party has maintained that it remains legally recognised pending the determination of its appeal.