The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of losing its independence, alleging that the electoral body is no longer viewed by Nigerians as a neutral umpire ahead of the 2027 general elections.
In a statement shared on its verified 𝕏 account on Tuesday, the opposition party claimed that public confidence in the commission had fallen to an unprecedented level, accusing it of acting in the interest of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The PDP specifically alleged that INEC, under the leadership of Professor Joash Amupitan, was increasingly functioning as an extension of the APC rather than an impartial electoral institution.
According to the party, the commission’s alleged selective compliance with court judgments, alongside concerns over transparency in the electronic transmission of election results, has weakened public trust in Nigeria’s electoral process.
The party argued that Nigerians must have confidence that elections remain a credible avenue for democratic change, particularly amid the country’s current economic challenges.
“For any democracy to survive an economic downturn, citizens must believe that their hardship can translate into political change through the ballot box. That confidence depends on the existence of an independent electoral umpire,” the statement read.
The PDP maintained that recent actions of the commission have created the impression that INEC is no longer serving the interests of the electorate but is instead protecting the political status quo.
Meanwhile, INEC has commenced the process of receiving candidates’ nominations for the 2027 general elections after issuing access codes to nine registered political parties for use on its online nomination portal.
Also Read: Family reacts as Nigerian woman’s kidney goes ‘missing’ after surgery
The parties granted access include the APC, PDP, African Democratic Congress (ADC), Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), and several other registered political parties.
The portal will be used to upload the details of candidates contesting the presidential, National Assembly and governorship elections, except in Osun and Kogi states, where governorship elections are conducted outside the general election cycle.
Reacting to reports that the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) had been denied access to the nomination portal, a senior INEC official, who spoke anonymously, dismissed the claims, insisting that the commission had provided the necessary access credentials to eligible political parties in line with the electoral timetable.