INEC Rejects Manual Submission of Jonathan’s Alleged 2027 Presidential Nomination
By Fact Harbour News
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has stated that it did not accept a purported presidential nomination for former President Goodluck Jonathan reportedly submitted by a faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), reaffirming that candidate nominations can only be made through its official electronic portal.
The clarification followed reports that a PDP faction led by Taminu Turaki claimed to have manually submitted Jonathan’s nomination, alongside the names of governorship, National Assembly and State House of Assembly candidates, after allegedly being denied access to the commission’s online nomination platform.
Responding to the reports, INEC’s Director of Voter Education and Publicity, Victoria Eta-Messi, said the commission does not recognise manual submission of candidates under its current regulations.
According to her, all political parties are required to submit the names and particulars of their candidates through INEC’s dedicated electronic nomination portal in line with the Electoral Act and the commission’s guidelines.
“Submission is only done on a dedicated portal as stipulated by our regulations and guidelines,” Eta-Messi said.
The commission’s position means that the reported manual submission has not been accepted as a valid nomination.
INEC did not comment on the internal affairs of the PDP or on the status of any faction within the party. Instead, it reiterated that compliance with its established nomination procedures is mandatory for all political parties participating in the 2027 general elections.
The reported development comes amid ongoing leadership disagreements within the PDP, with different groups laying claim to the authority to act on behalf of the party. Those disputes have continued to generate uncertainty over decisions and actions taken by rival factions.
As of the time of filing this report, there has been no indication from INEC that it intends to make any exception to its nomination process. The commission has consistently maintained that only submissions made through its official electronic portal will be processed.
Political observers say the latest development highlights the importance of adherence to INEC’s electoral guidelines and may have implications for any party or faction that fails to comply with the prescribed nomination procedures.
The commission is expected to continue monitoring compliance with its regulations as preparations for the 2027 general elections progress.
Editor’s Note: This report is based on statements attributed to INEC officials regarding the commission’s nomination procedures. The report does not verify or endorse the validity of claims made by any political party or faction regarding candidate nominations.