The Independent National Electoral Commission has rejected claims by the Nigeria Democratic Congress that it removed the party’s nominated candidates for the 2027 elections and replaced them with unknown names.
INEC’s Chief Press Secretary and Media Adviser to the Chairman, Adedayo Oketola, stated that the commission lacks the legal power to nominate candidates for any political party.
He also said INEC cannot replace a candidate properly nominated by a party with another person of its choice.
The response came after the NDC raised concerns over some State House of Assembly constituencies in Anambra State.
The party alleged that names it did not submit appeared on the commission’s published list.
Oketola explained that political parties alone hold the duty to nominate their candidates. He said parties must follow the Constitution, the Electoral Act 2026 and all related laws and guidelines.
He noted that INEC provides a candidate nomination portal. Political parties use access codes given to them to upload the details of their candidates on the platform.
Oketola said every action on the portal leaves an electronic record. The commission can check the source and history of any name that appears through its records and audit trail.
He dismissed suggestions that INEC officials inserted or smuggled names into the NDC list. He stressed that such claims must rest on facts from the electronic and paper records, not on speculation.
Oketola drew a clear line between INEC’s role in monitoring party primaries and the parties’ role in choosing and submitting candidates.
He said monitoring a primary does not mean INEC nominates the candidate. Reports filed by officials who observed the primaries do not give the commission the power to select candidates for parties.
“The monitoring process serves the statutory purposes prescribed by law and does not transfer the party’s responsibility for nomination to the commission,” he said.
He added that any dispute over who truly emerged from a party primary must be settled under the Electoral Act 2026 and other relevant laws.
Oketola stated that INEC cannot take over the role of a political party in selecting candidates. The commission also cannot ignore the legal rules that govern nomination and submission.
On the NDC claim that INEC officials collected Form EC9 directly from individuals without the party’s approval and then uploaded the forms, Oketola called the allegation serious.
He said the claim can be checked against the commission’s electronic and documentary records. INEC will review the records for the constituencies named by the NDC.
He asked the party to provide any evidence that points to unauthorised actions by commission officials. He promised that any proven misconduct will face investigation under the normal procedures.
Oketola made it clear that INEC has no interest in deciding which candidates a political party fields. Its duty is to run the electoral process fairly and according to the Constitution, the Electoral Act and the guidelines.
He reminded political parties that they must also follow the law. Parties must handle their nomination processes, internal appeals, candidate submissions and use of the portal correctly and within the set timelines.
Oketola said INEC will keep dealing with genuine concerns about the nomination process by relying on its records and the law.
He repeated that the commission will not nominate candidates for any political party. It will also not support the forced imposition of candidates on any party.
