Nigeria’s electoral body, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has rejected claims by an opposition party that it unauthorizedly altered candidate lists for upcoming local legislative races.
In an official press statement released in Abuja, INEC dismissed allegations made by the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) as “unfounded,” denying that it replaced validly nominated candidates in Anambra and Benue States with unauthorized names.The commission clarified that candidate nomination remains the exclusive legal responsibility of political parties under Nigerian law. INEC emphasized that its mandate during party primaries is limited to statutory oversight and does not grant it the authority to select, insert, or substitute candidates for any political organization.
Detailing the procedures ahead of the 2027 general elections, the electoral body noted that all 22 registered political parties were allocated portal access codes following training sessions organized for party officials. These access credentials were issued directly to the respective national chairmen in person to ensure secure submissions.
INEC stated that the submitted candidate lists—documented on official Form EC9 and Form EC9E series—were jointly signed and authorized by the national chairmen and national secretaries of the respective political parties, maintaining that no independent alterations were made by electoral officials.
Mohammed Haruna, Chairman of INEC’s Information and Voter Education Committee, reiterated the commission’s commitment to maintaining transparency, accountability, and a level playing field for all political stakeholders in the electoral process.
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