The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has rejected allegations by the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) that it removed the party’s nominated candidates for the 2027 Anambra State House of Assembly elections and replaced them with “impostors”.
The commission maintained that it neither altered the party’s list of candidates nor possesses the legal authority to nominate or substitute candidates on behalf of political parties.
The NDC had on Sunday accused INEC of removing its duly nominated candidates from the list published for the 2027 state assembly elections.
The party’s National Chairman, Moses Zuwoghe, alleged that the list of Anambra candidates released by the electoral commission contained 10 “strange names”.
Reacting to the allegation in a chat with TheCable on Monday, Adedayo Oketola, Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, described the claim as “serious”, insisting that candidate nomination remains the responsibility of political parties.
According to Oketola, parties are required to nominate candidates in accordance with the Constitution, the Electoral Act 2026 and other applicable laws, regulations and guidelines.
“The Commission does not possess the legal authority to select a candidate for a political party or substitute its own preferred candidate for a person validly nominated by a political party in accordance with the law,” Oketola told TheCable.
He explained that political parties submit the particulars of their candidates through INEC’s candidate nomination portal using access credentials issued to them for that purpose.
Oketola added that every activity relating to the submission of candidates through the portal is electronically recorded, creating an audit trail that can be examined to establish how and by whom particular entries were made.
He said the commission’s records could also establish the history and source of entries relating to any candidate whose name appears on the portal.
The INEC spokesperson therefore cautioned against determining the NDC’s allegation through speculation, stressing that the commission’s electronic and documentary records could be used to establish the facts.
‘INEC CAN’T ASSUME ROLE OF POLITICAL PARTIES’
Oketola further distinguished between INEC’s responsibility to monitor political party primaries and the parties’ responsibility to nominate and submit their candidates.
He explained that monitoring a party primary does not confer on INEC the authority to nominate candidates, noting that reports submitted by officials who monitor such exercises do not empower the commission to select candidates for political parties.
“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 said.
“Any credible allegation of misconduct by an official of the Commission will be investigated in accordance with established procedures.”
According to him, INEC has no institutional interest in determining which candidates political parties field for elections.
He, however, said political parties also have a responsibility to ensure that their nomination processes, internal appeals, submission of candidates and use of the commission’s candidate nomination portal comply with the law and prescribed timelines.
“The Commission will neither nominate candidates for political parties nor lend itself to the imposition of candidates on any political party,” Oketola said.
He added that any legitimate concerns arising from the candidate nomination process would be addressed on the basis of INEC’s records and the applicable law.
