The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has dismissed allegations by the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) that it removed the party’s nominated candidates from some State House of Assembly constituencies and replaced them with unauthorised names.
INEC said its records showed that the disputed candidates were submitted to the commission through the appropriate nomination forms and duly signed by the NDC National Chairman and National Secretary.
The clarification was contained in a statement issued on Tuesday by the Chairman of INEC’s Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Kudu Haruna.
The commission said it had in its possession Form EC9E containing the names of the candidates in question, with the required signatures of the party’s national officers.
“Candidate nomination is, by law, the exclusive responsibility of political parties. INEC has no legal authority to select, insert, or substitute a candidate for any party,” the commission said.
INEC also clarified that while it monitors political party primaries as part of its statutory responsibilities, such oversight does not give it the authority to choose or impose candidates on political parties.
“Monitoring a party’s primary is a statutory oversight function only and confers no power on INEC to choose or impose a candidate,” it added.
The commission said all 22 registered political parties had, ahead of the 2027 general elections, designated two technically trained officers to manage their candidate nomination processes after participating in training organised by INEC.
According to the commission, access codes to the nomination portal were subsequently issued directly to the national chairmen of the respective parties.
INEC further explained that candidate lists were generated from submissions made by political parties through the Form EC9 series and jointly signed by their national chairmen and national secretaries.
It therefore rejected the allegation that it independently uploaded or altered the NDC’s candidate information.
“Therefore, any claim that the Commission independently uploaded or altered candidate information is unfounded and untrue,” INEC stated.
The dispute followed allegations by the NDC that names of individuals it neither nominated nor authorised had appeared on INEC’s published candidate lists for some State House of Assembly constituencies.
The party had alleged that its candidates were removed and replaced with unfamiliar names in parts of Anambra State, with similar concerns raised in Benue and Imo states.
NDC National Chairman, Moses Cleopas, had called on the INEC chairman to investigate the matter and determine how the disputed names appeared on the party’s candidate list.
INEC, however, maintained that its electronic and documentary records could be used to establish the history and source of any candidate entry appearing on its portal.
The commission reiterated its commitment to transparency, accountability and ensuring a level playing field for all political parties and stakeholders ahead of the 2027 elections.
Comments