The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria has asked the Independent National Electoral Commission to clarify reports that it issued the Candidates’ Access Code for the 2027 general election to a faction of the Peoples Democratic Party.
HURIWA warned INEC against taking any administrative step that could undermine pending court proceedings over the authentic leadership of the PDP.
In a statement issued on Sunday by its National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, the rights group said INEC owed Nigerians a duty of transparency, adding that the Commission’s silence on the matter was fuelling public suspicion and raising concerns about the integrity of the electoral process.
The group said if reports that the access code had been issued to the PDP faction allegedly aligned with the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, were true, INEC should explain the legal basis for the action, especially in view of ongoing litigation over the party’s leadership.
According to HURIWA, existing court decisions and pending suits have raised serious questions about the legitimacy of some actions taken within the PDP ahead of the 2027 elections.
The association referred to a Court of Appeal decision which, according to it, held that the tenure of the party’s former National Legal Adviser, A.K. Ajibade, SAN, expired in December 2025 and that there was no credible evidence of his re-election.
HURIWA argued that the judgment raised fundamental legal issues regarding the validity of subsequent decisions linked to the PDP convention of March 29, 2026.
It said INEC should not ignore subsisting judicial pronouncements or act in a manner that could affect the outcome of pending cases.
The group also noted that the PDP Board of Trustees, led by former Senate President Adolphus Wabara, had constituted an interim National Working Committee headed by Chief Kabir Tanimu Turaki, SAN.
It said the interim leadership had filed Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1159/2026 before the Federal High Court, Abuja, seeking recognition.
According to HURIWA, the Federal High Court had fixed July 7, 2026, for hearing after ordering accelerated proceedings in view of INEC’s electoral timetable.
The group further stated that counsel to the plaintiffs had informed the court that political parties had started receiving Candidates’ Access Codes and requested that the Turaki-led interim leadership should also be issued the code to avoid prejudice pending the determination of the suit.
“The Commission must not take any administrative step capable of foisting a fait accompli on the court or rendering the pending proceedings merely academic,” HURIWA said.
The rights group urged INEC to publicly state whether it had issued the Candidates’ Access Code to any PDP faction.
“If INEC has not issued the Candidates’ Access Code to any PDP faction, it should say so unequivocally and reassure Nigerians that it will abide by whatever lawful orders ultimately emerge from the courts,” the group said.
HURIWA maintained that if INEC had already issued the access code despite the pending legal disputes, the Commission should immediately review the decision in the interest of justice, fairness and constitutional order.
The group further argued that if INEC decides to issue the access code before the conclusion of the litigation, it should be issued to the interim leadership constituted by the PDP Board of Trustees.
It urged the electoral body to remain neutral, respect the rule of law and avoid any action capable of eroding public confidence in the democratic process ahead of the 2027 general election.
The controversy adds to the internal crisis within the PDP, as rival leadership blocs continue to lay claim to control of the party’s structures and candidate nomination process ahead of the polls.
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