Labour Party denies missing INEC candidates’ upload deadline

The Labour Party has dismissed reports alleging that it failed to upload the names of its presidential and vice-presidential candidates before the Independent National Electoral Commission’s nomination portal closed, insisting that it completed the process four days ahead of the deadline.

In a statement issued in Abuja on Wednesday, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Ken Eluma Asogwa, described the reports as “patently false” and “misleading,” urging members and supporters to disregard them.

Asogwa said the party successfully uploaded the names of all its duly nominated presidential, vice-presidential and National Assembly candidates before the July 14 deadline set by INEC.

According to him, the names of the party’s presidential and vice-presidential candidates were uploaded on July 10 in compliance with the commission’s timetable and guidelines.

He said, “The Labour Party wishes to categorically state that it successfully completed the upload of the names of all its duly nominated candidates for the presidential and National Assembly elections ahead of the closure of the INEC nomination portal on July 14, 2026.

“Our attention has been drawn to media reports alleging that the party failed to upload the names of its presidential and vice-presidential candidates before the expiration of the INEC deadline. This claim is patently false, misleading and exists only in the imagination of the purveyors of that fake news.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the Labour Party successfully uploaded the names of its presidential and vice-presidential candidates on July 10, 2026, four clear days before the close of the INEC nomination window on July 14, 2026. The process was completed seamlessly and in full compliance with the commission’s guidelines.”

The party also faulted the report, accusing the unnamed media organisation of failing to verify the claim with its leadership.

“It is disturbing that a media organisation would publish such a weighty and misleading report without making the slightest effort to verify the information with the leadership of the Labour Party, particularly when the story was purportedly sourced from an anonymous INEC official.

“This raises legitimate questions about the professional responsibility of the media organisation concerned and whether the publication was intended to serve some ulterior political objective rather than the public interest,” Asogwa said.

He, however, expressed confidence that INEC’s publication of the final list of validly nominated candidates for the 2027 general elections would settle the matter.

“As INEC publishes the final list of validly nominated candidates for the 2027 general elections, Nigerians will clearly see the names of all duly nominated candidates of the various political parties, including those of the Labour Party, thereby putting this baseless misinformation to rest,” he said.

Asogwa urged Nigerians to ignore the report, insisting it was a deliberate attempt to discredit the party ahead of the elections.

“We therefore urge our members, supporters and the general public to disregard the fake report in its entirety. Those unsettled by the renewed strength, growing acceptance and increasing momentum of the Labour Party should prepare for the electoral contest ahead rather than resort to crude propaganda and discredited tactics.

“This latest attempt has collapsed under the weight of the facts, like a pack of cards,” he added.

The clarification comes amid heightened political activities as parties conclude the nomination of candidates for the 2027 general elections in line with INEC’s timetable.