The Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC) has disowned 10 candidates published by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the 2027 Anambra State House of Assembly elections, alleging that the names did not emerge from its nomination process.
The opposition party has consequently demanded an immediate electronic audit of INEC’s nomination portal to determine how the names and credentials of the affected candidates allegedly entered the commission’s system.
The NDC Director of New Media and Strategic Communications, Theophilus Agada, disclosed the party’s position in a statement issued in Abuja on Wednesday.
Agada said the party had uploaded only candidates who emerged through its nomination and appeal processes but alleged that INEC subsequently published different names.
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“The 10 names published by INEC neither emerged from the party’s nomination process nor its appeal process,” he said.
“The NDC uploaded only candidates who emerged from our appeal process, but the commission rejected the names approved by the party and subsequently published persons unknown to us.”
The candidates disowned by the party include Umennaajiego Ezenwa for Onitsha South I, Akpotue Chibuike for Onitsha South II, Nwankwo Chiemerie for Orumba North, Maduagwu Eric K. for Anaocha I, Ngoebisi Obinna for Idemili North and Isintume Charles for Njikoka I.
Others are Nwachukwu Nonso for Nnewi South I, Okeke Akunne for Nnewi South II, Nnonyelu Samson E. for Ayamelum and Azotani Francis for Dunukofia.
The party argued that the law places responsibility on political parties to nominate and submit the names and credentials of their candidates before INEC processes and publishes them.
Agada therefore questioned how the commission obtained the credentials of the 10 persons allegedly unknown to the party.
“How did the commission obtain their credentials when it is the party’s legal duty to submit the names of its approved candidates?” he asked.
The latest development follows an earlier threat by the NDC to take legal action against INEC over what it described as the replacement of its nominated candidates with “strange names” in several constituencies.
The party’s National Chairman, Moses Cleopas, had raised the alarm over the alleged publication of unauthorised candidates, describing the development as particularly significant because Anambra is the home state of NDC presidential candidate Peter Obi.
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Following the allegations, INEC commenced an examination of its records to determine how the disputed names appeared on the party’s candidate list.
The commission, however, denied having the power to substitute candidates nominated by political parties.
INEC Chief Press Secretary and Media Adviser to the INEC Chairman, Adedayo Oketola, said that the commission had no legal authority to nominate candidates for political parties or replace validly nominated candidates with persons of its choice.
