The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has recognised only the Senator David Mark-led leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), confirming that the faction has successfully submitted candidates for 471 elective positions ahead of the 2027 general election.
INEC National Commissioner, Mohammed Haruna, said the electoral body granted the Mark-led leadership access to its restricted candidate nomination portal following the Supreme Court judgment affirming the faction’s leadership of the party.
According to him, the recognised faction has already submitted candidates for two presidential positions, 109 senatorial seats and 360 House of Representatives constituencies.
“Yes, we gave the Mark-led faction the code based on the recent Supreme Court judgment that affirmed his leadership of the party, and the faction has since submitted most of its candidates for a total of 471 positions,” Haruna said.
He added that the commission had no legal basis to recognise or accept submissions from the rival faction.
“The court did not say we should accept any submissions by the rival faction, which in any case had lost its appeal for recognition,” he stated.
Reacting to INEC’s clarification, the ADC accused its factional leader, Nafiu Gombe, of attempting to mislead Nigerians by claiming he had obtained access to the commission’s restricted nomination portal and uploaded candidates on behalf of the party.
In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the party described the claim as false and welcomed INEC’s clarification.
According to the party, the issue had moved beyond internal political disagreements and now involved an alleged attempt to deceive the public.
“The issue before us is no longer simply about the continuous false statements issued by Nafiu Bala Gombe. It is about the clear and unmistakable attempt to mislead the Nigerian public,” the statement read.
The ADC argued that falsely claiming access to INEC’s restricted nomination platform was a serious allegation and called on security agencies to investigate everyone connected to the claim.
The party also urged INEC to ensure that Nafiu Gombe and any other persons involved in the alleged falsehood are investigated and prosecuted in accordance with the law.
