The Independent National Electoral Commission has commenced an examination of its records to determine how names allegedly unknown to the Nigeria Democratic Congress appeared on the party’s list of candidates for the 2027 general elections.
The move followed allegations by the NDC that names of candidates it neither nominated nor authorised were uploaded and published as its candidates in several state House of Assembly constituencies, particularly in Anambra State, reports The PUNCH.
The Commission denied the allegations and said it removed candidates nominated by the party for the election and replaced them with names allegedly unknown to it.
The allegations, which particularly concern some state House of Assembly constituencies in Anambra State, were addressed by INEC’s Chief Press Secretary and Media Adviser to the INEC Chairman, Adedayo Oketola, in a chat with our correspondent yesterday.
Responding to the allegations, Oketola stressed that INEC had no legal authority to nominate candidates for political parties or substitute its preferred candidates for those validly nominated by a political party in accordance with the law.
“For the avoidance of doubt, INEC does not nominate candidates for political parties. The nomination of candidates is the responsibility of political parties, subject to compliance with the Constitution, the Electoral Act 2026 and other applicable laws, Regulations and Guidelines,” he said.
He explained that while political parties were responsible for nominating and submitting their candidates, INEC’s role was to administer the electoral process in accordance with the Constitution, the Electoral Act and applicable regulations and guidelines.
According to him, the candidate nomination portal provided by the commission is the platform through which political parties submit the particulars of their candidates using access credentials issued for that purpose.
He added that all activities carried out on the portal were electronically recorded and could be verified through the commission’s records and audit trail.
“It is, therefore, possible to establish objectively the history and source of entries relating to any candidate whose name appears on the portal,” Oketola said.
He said the allegation that INEC officials introduced or “smuggled” candidates into the NDC’s list should therefore not be determined through speculation, noting that the electronic and documentary records would establish what transpired.
Oketola also clarified the distinction between INEC’s responsibility to monitor political party primaries and the responsibility of parties to nominate and submit their candidates.
He said the monitoring of a party primary by INEC officials did not amount to the commission nominating a candidate for the party.
“Neither does a report made by officials who monitor a primary confer upon the commission the power to choose a candidate for the political party,” he said.
He explained that the monitoring process was undertaken for statutory purposes and did not transfer the responsibility for candidate nomination from political parties to INEC.
The INEC spokesman said disputes over who validly emerged from a political party primary, the effect of an appeal arising from the primary or the validity of any subsequent attempt to alter its outcome must be resolved within the framework of the Electoral Act 2026 and other applicable laws.
“INEC cannot assume the role of a political party in choosing its candidates, nor can it disregard applicable statutory requirements governing the nomination and submission of candidates,” he stated.
On the NDC’s specific allegation that INEC officials went behind the party to obtain Form EC9 directly from individual aspirants or candidates and subsequently uploaded their particulars without the party’s authorisation, Oketola described the claim as particularly serious.
He, however, said the allegation could be objectively verified from the commission’s electronic and documentary records.
“Rather than make categorical assertions on matters that can readily be established from those records, the commission will examine the relevant records relating to the constituencies identified by the NDC,” he said.
Oketola urged the NDC to provide the commission with evidence and details of any officials allegedly involved in unauthorised interference with its candidate nomination process.
He said any credible allegation of misconduct against an INEC official would be investigated in accordance with established procedures.
The Commission, he stressed, had no institutional interest in the choice of candidates fielded by any political party.
“Its responsibility is to administer the electoral process impartially and in accordance with the constitution, the Electoral Act and applicable regulations and guidelines,” he said.
Oketola also reminded political parties of their responsibility to ensure that their nomination processes, internal appeals, submission of candidates and use of the commission’s candidate nomination portal complied with the law and prescribed timelines.
He assured stakeholders that INEC would continue to handle the candidate nomination process transparently and impartially, adding that legitimate concerns would be addressed on the basis of the Commission’s records and applicable law.
“The Commission will neither nominate candidates for political parties nor lend itself to the imposition of candidates on any political party,” Oketola said.
Recall that the NDC, in a post on X, formerly Twitter, had accused INEC and its officials of uploading and publishing unauthorised names in some constituencies in Anambra State.
According to the party, nine names unknown to it, and not authorised or submitted to INEC, were uploaded and published as its candidates for some constituencies in the Anambra State House of Assembly.
The NDC National Chairman, Moses Cleopas, said the development was particularly disturbing because Anambra is the home state of the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi.
The party alleged that INEC had systematically removed its nominated candidates for the 2027 general elections and replaced them with names not recognised by the party.
The names listed by the NDC as having been allegedly smuggled into its candidate list include: Onitsha South 1 — Umennaajiego Jude Ezenwa, Onitsha South 2 — Akpotue Obinna Chibuike, Orumba North — Nwankwo Chiemerie, Anaocha 1 — Maduagwu Eric K, Idemili North — Ngoebisi Obinna, Njikoka 1 — Isintume Charles, Nnewi South — Nwachukwu Nonso, Nnewi South 2 — Okeke Ifeanyi Akunne, Ayamelum — Nnonyelu Samson E, Dunukofia – Azotani Chuks Francis.
The statement, signed by Cleopas, called on the INEC chairman to investigate the matter and determine how the names came to be published as candidates of the party.
“We call on the INEC chairman to urgently and immediately cause an investigation into the matter and unravel how this came to be,” it said.
The NDC said the investigation should also cover other constituencies across the country, including Benue and Imo states, where it claimed to have observed a similar pattern of authentic party candidates being replaced with what it described as INEC-chosen imposters.
