0
ABUJA: Labour Party has dismissed reports alleging that it failed to submit the names of its presidential and vice-presidential candidates before the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) nomination deadline, insisting that all required candidate details were successfully uploaded several days before the portal closed.
In a statement issued Wednesday, the party said it completed the submission of its presidential, vice-presidential and National Assembly candidates ahead of the July 14 deadline set by INEC for the 2027 general elections.
The rebuttal comes amid growing political tensions as parties prepare for what is expected to be a fiercely contested presidential race in 2027. Reports circulating in sections of the Nigerian media had suggested that the Labour Party missed the deadline for uploading the names of its top candidates, raising questions about the party’s readiness for the election cycle.
The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Ken Eluma Asogwa, described the reports as “false, misleading and unfounded,” maintaining that the names of the party’s presidential and vice-presidential candidates were uploaded on July 10 — four days before the closure of the nomination portal.
“The process was completed seamlessly and in full compliance with the Commission’s guidelines,” Asogwa said.
The Labour Party also criticized a media organization it accused of publishing the report without seeking clarification from party officials. According to the party, the report relied on information allegedly attributed to an anonymous INEC source, a practice it argued fell short of accepted journalistic standards.
The controversy highlights the heightened scrutiny surrounding party nominations and candidate submissions as political organizations race to meet regulatory requirements ahead of the next general election.
INEC has already released a timetable indicating when the final list of validly nominated candidates will be published. Once that list is released, the Labour Party said, the public will be able to independently verify the status of all candidates submitted by political parties.
Political analysts note that nomination disputes and procedural controversies often emerge during election cycles, reflecting both the competitive nature of Nigerian politics and the high stakes attached to securing a place on the ballot.
The Labour Party urged its supporters to disregard the reports and accused political opponents of attempting to undermine confidence in the party’s growing electoral prospects.
The party said the publication of INEC’s final candidate list would ultimately settle the matter and provide definitive confirmation of all validly nominated candidates for the 2027 elections.
The dispute marks one of the earliest nomination-related controversies in the lead-up to the 2027 polls, a contest that is already beginning to reshape Nigeria’s political landscape.