National Leader of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Seriake Dickson, yesterday, announced that the party has been granted access to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) portal to upload the names of its qualified candidates for the 2027 general elections.

Meanwhile, NDC presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has challenged Nigeria’s political leaders to reflect on their priorities, arguing that the country’s worsening insecurity, hunger and economic distress demand urgent attention rather than the growing focus on political contests and power calculations.

Obi, however, said the contents of the INEC nomination form inspired interpersonal communication in every Nigerian aspiring to lead the country.

Dickson made the disclosure on his X platform, while also revealing that the party had filed an appeal and an application for a stay of execution against a recent court ruling affecting its status.

According to him, the appeal and accompanying application have been served on the INEC Chairman and the commission, urging them to act in accordance with the law.

The former governor of Bayelsa State maintained that the NDC “remains a duly registered political party” that participated in all electoral processes so far and concluded its nomination exercises across the country.

He disclosed that only the administrative process of submitting candidates’ names remained, adding that the party had already been granted access to the INEC portal.

“My name and that of the presidential candidate have been uploaded to the INEC portal, while that of the vice-presidential candidate will be uploaded tomorrow upon completion of the deposition. The process is also ongoing for other candidates,” he stated.

He noted that, in line with the INEC timetable, the party has until July 11 to upload the names of its National Assembly candidates and until July 17 for governorship and House of Assembly candidates.

“There is enough time for all candidates’ names to be submitted to INEC, and there is no reason for anyone to panic,” he added.

OBI raised the concern after completing his nomination inquiry form at the INEC office in Abuja, revealing that some of the questions contained in the document prompted him to reflect on the quality of leadership being offered to Nigerians.

The former governor of Anambra State said a question asking whether a candidate had ever been adjudged a lunatic or declared of unsound mind led him to consider whether the nation’s leaders were demonstrating the sound judgment expected of those entrusted with public responsibility.

At a time when citizens are being kidnapped, communities are under threat, families are struggling to feed, and public resources continue to come under scrutiny, Obi said it was difficult to justify why political manoeuvring appeared to have overshadowed efforts to tackle the country’s most pressing challenges.

Sharing his experience after the electoral umpire uploaded his nomination, Obi disclosed that while completing the nomination form last Monday, he looked closely at Section E, Question 1.

“It asks: ‘Have you ever been adjudged a lunatic or been declared a person of unsound mind? ‘ he noted, adding that the particular query, which demanded a yes or no answer, got him thinking, ‘Can we, as the political leaders of today’s Nigeria, truly say we are exhibiting the characteristics of a sound mind?’”

Evoking a similar poser that propelled his gubernatorial chase in 2002, when he asked Anambra people, “Are we cursed, or are we the cause?”, the NDC flagbearer noted that given the prevailing socio-economic conditions in Nigeria, “What truly should be our priority now, as leaders of a nation?”

Nonetheless, the NDC chief runner stated: “A sound-minded leadership would have declared these existential challenges a national emergency and immediately mobilised all relevant institutions, security agencies, experts, community leaders and other critical stakeholders to confront them with urgency and resolve.

“At a moment like this, the survival, security and stability of Nigeria must take precedence over every other consideration. This is a time for decisive action, not political calculation or the pursuit of partisan advantage.”

Alluding to a recent report referencing Nigeria as a country prone to forged official documents, Obi continued, “Further in the same Section E, Question 6, was: ‘Have you ever presented a forged certificate to INEC? ‘ Again, the answer is either Yes or No.

“This raises another important question: Why shouldn’t INEC, in the interest of ensuring that our leaders are exemplary in following the rules and to strengthen public confidence in our electoral process, publish the academic certificates and credentials submitted by every candidate seeking elective office?”

He maintained that while transparency strengthens democracy and builds public trust, Nigeria’s problems are too serious for politics as usual, adding that it is time for Nigerians to settle for leadership defined by competence, character, capacity, compassion, and commitment to service.