The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of allegedly replacing some candidates nominated by the party for the 2027 general elections, with persons neither authorised nor submitted by the party.
The allegation followed the publication the list of candidates for the State Houses of Assembly elections by INEC, with the NDC National Chairman, Sen. Moses Cleopas Zuwoghe, describing the development as “a deliberate attempt to undermine the party ahead of the elections”.
The party, in particular, alleged that nine names published as its candidates for various constituencies in Anambra State were unknown to the party and were not among those nominated through its internal primary and appeal processes.
In a statement on Sunday, Zuwoghe called on the INEC Chairman to urgently investigate how the names found their way on the commission’s published list of candidates.
“We call on the INEC Chairman to urgently and immediately cause an investigation into the matter and unravel how this came to be,” he said.
The NDC alleged that similar discrepancies had been detected in other states, including Benue and Imo, describing the development as a growing pattern of what it called the “fencing out” of its authentic candidates.
According to the party, the alleged substitutions had caused embarrassment to its leadership and candidates, while also generating disaffection among its supporters in Nigeria and in the Diaspora.
The NDC chairman said the party was conducting its own investigation into the matter, adding that preliminary findings allegedly pointed to the involvement of some INEC officials in the disputed candidate-uploading process.
He specifically listed 10 names published under the Anambra State House of Assembly category which, he maintained, were not nominated by the NDC.
They include Umennaajiego Jude Ezenwa for Onitsha South 1; Akpotue Obinna Chibuike for Onitsha South 2; Nwankwo Chiemerie for Orumba North; Maduagwu Eric K for Anaocha 1; Ngoebisi Obinna for Idemili North; Isintume Charles for Njikoka 1; Nwachukwu Nonso for Nnewi South; Okeke Ifeanyi Akunne for Nnewi South 2; Nnonyelu Samson E. for Ayamelum; and Azotani Chuks Francis for Dunukofia.
Zuwoghe insisted that he, as national chairman and custodian of the party’s candidate-uploading code, did not upload the disputed names, stressing that the party had also not authorised their submission.
He explained that following the completion of the party’s primaries and appeal process, stakeholders from Anambra, the party leadership, representatives of its presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and the party’s appeals panel had agreed on a final list of candidates.
According to him, the NDC subsequently uploaded the list through the portal using the credentials supplied by INEC.
He alleged, however, that INEC officials retained nine of the names on “Pending” status, claiming that the commission’s system already contained the names submitted by its officials who monitored the party’s primaries.
The NDC said it formally objected to the disputed names and supplied what it described as the authentic candidates nominated by the party, but alleged that INEC declined to replace the names.
Zuwoghe further alleged that INEC subsequently obtained Form EC-9 directly from the disputed candidates and uploaded the documents without going through the party.
He described the action as a violation of the Electoral Act and INEC’s guidelines, insisting that the commission should not determine or impose candidates on political parties.
“The worst INEC can do in a situation whereby the names submitted by the party do not tally with those INEC claimed to have received from its monitoring teams on the field is to leave the space blank, not to preload fictitious names and prevent the party from loading its genuine candidates,” he said.
The NDC chairman also accused INEC of selectively interfering in the candidate nomination processes of opposition parties, alleging that the emerging pattern could create internal crises and undermine public confidence in the electoral process.
He vowed that the party would pursue the matter through all available legal channels and approach a court of competent jurisdiction to seek the restoration of its alleged authentic candidates.
Zuwoghe urged NDC supporters and members of the public to disregard the disputed names, insisting that they were not candidates of the party.
