The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to immediately break its silence and clarify controversial reports alleging it has issued the Candidates’ Access Code for the 2027 general elections to a specific faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
​In a statement released on Monday, the civil society group warned that any underhanded dealings or perceived partiality by the electoral umpire could trigger a massive political crisis and undermine the credibility of the upcoming general elections.
​According to HURIWA, reports circulating within political circles suggest that INEC has bypassed the officially recognized leadership structure of the main opposition party to hand over the portal access codes which are vital for nominating and uploading candidates for the 2027 polls to a breakaway faction.
​The rights group stressed that the access codes represent the soul of a political party’s participation in an election, and mishandling them could unlawfully disenfranchise legitimate candidates.
​HURIWA’s National Coordinator emphasized that INEC must remain an unbiased umpire, especially given the current internal friction stretching across Nigeria’s major political parties.
​”INEC cannot afford to play the role of a kingmaker or a factional arbiter,” the statement read. “We are deeply concerned by reports that access codes for the nomination of candidates for the 2027 elections have been secretly or selectively released to a faction of the PDP. INEC must come clean immediately. Transparency is not optional; it is a constitutional obligation.”
​The association noted that if the rumors are true, it would amount to a severe breach of the Electoral Act and a direct assault on Nigeria’s democratic foundations.
​To avert a looming legal and political showdown, HURIWA urged the INEC Chairman to issue a clear, public statement detailing whether or not the 2027 candidate nomination access codes for the PDP have been generated and released.
The exact identities and designations of the party officials who received the codes and the criteria used by the commission to determine the rightful leadership faction entitled to the codes under current judicial precedents.
​Failure to provide an immediate and transparent clarification, HURIWA warned, would leave civil society organizations and political stakeholders with no choice but to view the commission as an active participant in the internal crisis rocking the opposition.
​As of the time of filing this report, INEC has yet to issue an official response to HURIWA’s demands.
