Labour Party Denies Missing INEC Deadline, Says Presidential, National Assembly Candidates Uploaded Before Portal Closed
The Labour Party (LP) has dismissed reports alleging that it failed to upload the names of its presidential and vice-presidential candidates before the closure of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) nomination portal, describing the claims as false and misleading.
In a statement issued on Tuesday by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Ken Eluma Asogwa, the Labour Party said it successfully completed the submission of all its duly nominated candidates for the Presidential, Vice Presidential and National Assembly elections well before the July 14, 2026 deadline set by INEC.
According to the party, the names of its presidential and vice-presidential candidates were uploaded on July 10, 2026, four days before the nomination portal closed.
The statement maintained that the submission process was completed seamlessly and in full compliance with INEC’s guidelines for the 2027 General Elections.
The party said reports suggesting it failed to meet the INEC deadline were “patently false” and existed only in the imagination of those spreading the misinformation.
It expressed concern that a media organisation published the report without verifying the information with the Labour Party leadership, despite allegedly relying on an anonymous INEC source.
According to the party, such reporting raises questions about journalistic ethics and the motive behind publishing what it described as unverified claims.
The Labour Party expressed confidence that the controversy would be resolved once INEC publishes the final list of validly nominated candidates for the 2027 General Elections.
It noted that Nigerians would then be able to verify that the names of its presidential, vice-presidential and National Assembly candidates were duly submitted within the stipulated timeframe.
The party urged its members, supporters and the general public to disregard the reports, insisting they were part of attempts to create unnecessary confusion ahead of the elections.
According to the statement, those unsettled by the Labour Party’s growing popularity should focus on preparing for the electoral contest rather than engaging in what it described as propaganda.
The statement added that the allegations had “collapsed under the weight of the facts.”
