HURIWA asks INEC to address claims of access code issuance amid PDP leadership dispute

The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to immediately clarify reports alleging that it has issued the Candidates’ Access Code for the upload of candidates for the 2027 general elections to a faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) whose leadership remains the subject of ongoing litigation.

In a statement issued on Sunday by its National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, the pro-democracy and civil rights organisation said the electoral commission owes Nigerians a duty of transparency and should address the reports to prevent public distrust in the country’s electoral process.

HURIWA argued that if the reports are accurate and the access code has been issued to the PDP faction reportedly aligned with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Chief Nyesom Wike, INEC must explain the legal basis for taking such a significant administrative action despite pending court cases challenging the party’s leadership.

According to the group, the controversy surrounding the PDP leadership has yet to be conclusively resolved by the courts, making it imperative for the electoral umpire to maintain neutrality until judicial proceedings are concluded.

The association recalled that the Court of Appeal recently ruled that the tenure of the PDP’s former National Legal Adviser, A.K. Ajibade (SAN), expired in December 2025 and found no credible evidence that he was validly re-elected.

It noted that the appellate court further held that any subsequent letter of instruction issued by Ajibade lacked legal validity, a decision HURIWA said raises serious questions about the legal foundation of the March 29, 2026 PDP convention conducted by the faction reportedly loyal to Wike.

According to the group, the appellate court’s decision means that significant legal issues remain unresolved regarding the legitimacy of actions taken after the disputed convention.

HURIWA also pointed to the ongoing leadership dispute before the Federal High Court in Abuja, where the PDP Board of Trustees, led by former Senate President Adolphus Wabara, constituted an interim National Working Committee headed by Chief Kabir Tanimu Turaki (SAN).

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The organisation noted that the interim leadership has already filed Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1159/2026, seeking an order compelling INEC to recognise the Turaki-led National Working Committee as the lawful leadership of the PDP.

It added that INEC has already entered an appearance in the matter and that the Federal High Court fixed July 7, 2026, for the hearing of all pending applications and the substantive suit after granting an accelerated hearing in view of the electoral timetable.

HURIWA further stated that during the court proceedings, counsel to the plaintiffs informed the court that political parties had already begun receiving Candidates’ Access Codes for the upload of candidates and urged the court to ensure that the Turaki-led leadership was also issued the code to prevent irreparable prejudice before the final determination of the case.

Against this backdrop, the rights group urged INEC to exercise restraint and avoid taking any administrative action capable of prejudicing the pending court proceedings or creating a situation that could render the case academic.

“The Commission must not take any administrative step capable of foisting a fait accompli on the court or rendering the pending proceedings merely academic,” the statement said.

HURIWA maintained that INEC’s constitutional responsibility extends beyond conducting elections to preserving public confidence in its independence, neutrality and commitment to the rule of law.

The association warned that any action suggesting the commission had pre-empted the outcome of ongoing litigation could undermine constitutional democracy and erode public trust ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The group therefore called on INEC to publicly state whether it has issued the Candidates’ Access Code to any faction of the PDP.

It said that if no code has been issued, the commission should reassure Nigerians that it will strictly comply with any lawful court orders regarding the party’s leadership.

However, if the access code has already been issued despite the pending legal disputes, HURIWA urged INEC to immediately review the decision in the interest of justice, fairness and constitutional order.

The organisation argued that any issuance of the access code should, in its view, be directed to the interim leadership constituted by the PDP Board of Trustees, pending the final determination of the matter by the courts.

HURIWA stressed that the credibility of Nigeria’s electoral process depends not only on the conduct of free and fair elections but also on the unwavering commitment of public institutions to constitutional supremacy and respect for judicial decisions.

It urged INEC to continue acting within the confines of the law, maintain institutional neutrality and avoid actions capable of escalating political tensions or undermining public confidence in the democratic process ahead of the 2027 general elections.