Follow Us on Google
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has again disassociated itself from allegations by the leadership of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) that it removed the party’s validly nominated candidates for certain State House of Assembly constituencies in Anambra and Benue states and replaced them with unauthorised names.
The electoral umpire further argued that, apart from lacking such powers, the nomination of candidates is, by law, the exclusive responsibility of political parties.
In a statement by Mohammed Kudu Haruna, Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee (IVEC), INEC insisted that it has no legal authority to select, insert, or substitute a candidate for any party.
It urged members of the opposition party to hold the National Chairman and National Secretary of the party responsible, as they are signatories to the nominated candidates, for whatever may have resulted in the alleged wrongful upload of the nominated candidates.
The electoral umpire emphasised: “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.”
“The commission has noted a statement by the leadership of the NDC alleging that INEC removed the party’s validly nominated candidates for certain State House of Assembly constituencies in Anambra and Benue states and replaced them with unauthorised names. The commission states that these allegations are unfounded.
Other News
“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. Monitoring a party’s primary is a statutory oversight function only and confers no power on INEC to choose or impose a candidate,” it stated.
Explaining further, the commission’s management noted: “Ahead of the 2027 election, all 22 registered parties designated two technically trained officers to handle their nomination process, following training organised by the commission. Thereafter, the portal access codes were issued directly and in person to each party’s National Chairman, and not by proxy.
“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).
“Therefore, any claim that the commission independently uploaded or altered candidate information is unfounded and untrue. 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.
“The commission remains committed to transparency, accountability, and providing a level playing field for all stakeholders in the electoral process,” the commission reassured.
