The Independent National Electoral Commission has dismissed allegations by the Nigeria Democratic Congress that it removed the party’s validly nominated candidates for some State House of Assembly constituencies in Anambra and Benue states and replaced them with unauthorised names.
The NDC had accused the electoral body of allegedly “smuggling” candidates into its list, but INEC described the allegations as unfounded, insisting that the nomination of candidates remained the exclusive responsibility of political parties.
In a statement issued on Monday by its Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Kudu Haruna, the Commission said it had no legal authority to select, insert or substitute candidates for any political party.
“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 explained that while it monitored political parties’ primaries as part of its statutory responsibilities, such oversight did not confer on the Commission the power to determine 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,” the statement added.
The Commission said it had put measures in place to ensure transparency and accountability in the nomination process ahead of the 2027 general election.
According to INEC, all 22 registered political parties designated two technically trained officials to handle their respective candidate nomination processes following training organised by the Commission.
It said access codes for the nomination portal were subsequently issued directly and physically to the National Chairmen of the political parties and not through proxies.
INEC further explained that the list of candidates for each party was generated based on information submitted by the political parties and jointly signed by their National Chairmen and National Secretaries through the appropriate Form EC9 series.
“Thereafter, the portal access codes were issued directly and in person to each party’s National Chairman, and not by proxy,” INEC said.
“Lists of candidates were generated for each party as submitted by the party, jointly signed by the National Chairmen and National Secretaries of the party, making the submission in Form EC9 series (A-G).”
The Commission said the procedure made any claim that INEC independently uploaded or altered candidate information “unfounded and untrue.”
It added that it was in possession of Form EC9E containing the names of the candidates complained about by the NDC, which it said were duly submitted and signed by the party’s National Chairman and National Secretary.
“As a matter of fact, the Commission has in its possession Form EC9E where these candidates were listed and submitted to the Commission, duly signed by the National Chairman and the National Secretary of the party,” INEC stated.
The Commission reaffirmed its commitment to transparency, accountability and the provision of a level playing field for all political parties and stakeholders ahead of the 2027 general election.
“The Commission remains committed to transparency, accountability and providing a level playing field for all stakeholders in the electoral process,” the statement added.
