BY AHMED AKANBI

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has begun releasing access codes to political parties for candidates’ uploads ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The move comes as a Federal High Court ordered INEC to issue fresh codes to the Akin Rickett-led faction of the All Democratic Alliance, ADA.

ADC National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, confirmed that the party got its credentials on Monday.

“We have received the access codes for the various offices from INEC. In fact, we received the INEC codes from them since Monday,” Abdullahi disclosed on Arise News Television.

Labour Party National Publicity Secretary, Ken Asogwa, also confirmed receipt.

“I was just told that the national chairman, Senator Esther Nenadi Usman, has received the INEC codes,” Asogwa said.

It was also gathered that the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC has collected its codes from INEC, but it was unclear if distribution to nominees had started amid unresolved primary election disputes.

Several aggrieved APC aspirants have filed petitions at the party’s national secretariat, while leaders in some states are working to douse tension.

Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja, on Monday, directed INEC to generate and release ADA’s registration access codes to the Akin Rickett-led leadership within 72 hours.

The court held that INEC acted unlawfully when it issued the codes to Umar Ardo, who was not recognised as the association’s pro tem secretary, describing the action as “illegal, wrongful, null and void.”

Justice Lifu ordered INEC to reopen its portal for one week to allow the Rickett faction to upload ADA’s membership register and other documents required for party registration.

The twin developments signal an acceleration in preparations for 2027. Established parties are now moving to submit candidates, while new associations are pressing legal claims to secure registration and access to INEC’s portal.