PDP gives states December 10 deadline to upload polling unit agents

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has set December 10, 2026 as the last day for its state chapters to submit and upload the names of party agents for the 2027 general elections.

The party said the deadline is meant to avoid the last-minute problems that come with registering agents, and to make sure only loyal and properly screened members represent it at polling units nationwide.

National Organising Secretary Umar Bature announced the date on Monday in Abuja at a one-day training on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) portal. The session was held for state secretaries, state organising secretaries and state ICT officers.

Bature said the training was to give party officials the technical know-how to upload agents' details. Those details include names, designated polling units and photographs, which will be used to produce identification tags for the agents.

He said eight state secretaries, 21 state organising secretaries and 25 ICT officers attended.

Why the party is moving early

According to Bature, INEC's own deadline for uploading agents is expected to be December 17, but the PDP chose December 10 so it has time to deal with technical and administrative hitches.

"December 10 is the last day for submission of agents," he said, warning that he did not want to hear reports of late uploads after that date.

He said the party had only recently finished a dispute with INEC over the uploading of candidates, and did not want a repeat with agents.

Bature also urged state officials to pick agents carefully, putting loyalty and commitment to the party ahead of personal relationships. He warned that agents who work for rival parties could damage the PDP's chances, and said nominated agents must not hand their identification tags to members of other parties.

"Please patronise those who are dedicated to this party," he said.

PDP National Chairman Abdulrahman Mohammed called the programme the first phase of a wider training exercise. He said later phases would run across states, local government areas, wards and polling units so the knowledge reaches members nationwide.

He said elections are now decided at the polling unit level, where agents and canvassers do the work of protecting a party's interest, and that the shift from manual to electronic processes means members must keep learning.

"Election today starts from the polling units, where we rely on our agents and canvassers," Mohammed said, asking participants to take the training seriously and repeat it in their states.

What happens next

State chapters now have until December 10 to screen their agents and upload their details. Party officials who run into trouble on the portal were advised to seek help from INEC offices in their states.

The training is expected to be repeated at state, local government, ward and polling unit levels ahead of the 2027 elections.