By Sulyman Gobir
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has challenged the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) to provide evidence supporting its allegation that officials of the commission replaced some of the party’s candidates for the 2027 general elections.
INEC’s Chief Press Secretary to the Chairman, Mr Adedayo Oketola, made the clarification while speaking with journalists on Monday in Abuja.
Oketola said the commission was aware of the NDC’s allegation that some candidates nominated by the party had been replaced with names allegedly unknown to its leadership, particularly in some State House of Assembly constituencies in Anambra State.
He described as serious the claim that INEC officials bypassed the party, obtained Form EC9 directly from individual aspirants and uploaded their particulars as candidates without the authorisation of the NDC.
However, Oketola said the allegations could be objectively verified through 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.
“If the party has evidence implicating any official of the commission in any unauthorised interference with its candidate nomination process, it should make such evidence and the particulars of the officials concerned available to the commission.
“Any credible allegation of misconduct by an official of the commission will be investigated in accordance with established procedures.”
Oketola also clarified that INEC does not nominate candidates for political parties, stressing that the responsibility rests solely with the parties, subject to the provisions of the Constitution, the Electoral Act 2026 and other relevant laws, regulations and guidelines.
“For the avoidance of doubt, INEC does not nominate candidates for political parties,” he said.
He explained that political parties submit the particulars of their candidates through INEC’s candidate nomination portal using access credentials issued specifically to them.
According to him, all activities carried out on the portal are electronically recorded and can be verified through the commission’s records and audit trail.
“This makes it possible to establish objectively the history and source of entries relating to any candidate whose name appears on the portal,” he added.
Oketola said claims that INEC officials introduced or “smuggled” candidates into the NDC’s list should not be based on speculation, insisting that available electronic and documentary records could establish the facts.
He also drew a distinction between INEC’s statutory responsibility to monitor political party primaries and the responsibility of political parties to nominate and submit their candidates.
According to him, the commission’s presence at party primaries does not amount to nominating candidates, while reports submitted by officials who monitor such exercises do not confer on INEC the power to select candidates on behalf of political parties.
He maintained that the monitoring of party primaries is strictly a statutory duty and does not transfer the responsibility for candidate nomination from political parties to the electoral commission.
