The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has firmly dismissed allegations by the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) that it removed candidates nominated by the party for the 2027 General Election and replaced them with unknown names, particularly in some State House of Assembly constituencies in Anambra State.
Reacting to the claims, Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Adedayo Oketola, described the allegation as false and misleading, insisting that the Commission has no constitutional role in nominating candidates for political parties.
According to Oketola, the nomination of candidates remains the exclusive responsibility of political parties, subject to compliance with the provisions of the Constitution, the Electoral Act 2026, and other applicable regulations and guidelines.
INEC also rejected claims that its officials bypassed the NDC leadership by obtaining Form EC9 directly from aspirants and uploading their particulars without the party’s authorisation.
The Commission described the allegation as a grave accusation and challenged the NDC to produce concrete evidence linking any INEC official to unauthorised interference in its nomination process.
“Any credible allegation of misconduct involving an official of the Commission will be thoroughly investigated in line with established procedures,” Oketola stated.
The electoral body maintained that transparency and strict adherence to electoral laws remain central to its operations, urging political parties to properly manage their internal nomination processes and provide verifiable evidence when making allegations against the Commission.
The development comes as political activities ahead of the 2027 general elections gather momentum across the country, with parties intensifying preparations for primaries and candidate submissions.
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