THE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has denied allegations by the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) that it removed candidates purportedly nominated by the party for the 2027 General Election and replaced them with names allegedly unknown to the party, particularly in respect of some State House of Assembly constituencies in Anambra State.
News Point Nigeria reports that the electoral body said the allegations were serious and required clarification regarding its role and the procedure for the nomination and submission of candidates by political parties, stressing that INEC does not nominate candidates for political parties.
The position was conveyed in a chat by Adedayo Oketola, Chief Press Secretary and Media Adviser to the INEC Chairman, who explained that the responsibility for nominating candidates rests solely with political parties, subject to their compliance with the Constitution, the Electoral Act 2026, as well as other applicable laws, Regulations and Guidelines.
For the avoidance of doubt, INEC said it does not nominate candidates for political parties. Similarly, the Commission does not possess the legal authority to select a candidate for a political party or substitute its own preferred candidate for a person validly nominated by a political party in accordance with the law.
According to the Commission, the candidate nomination portal provided by INEC is the platform through which political parties submit the particulars of their candidates using access credentials issued for that purpose.
It explained that activities carried out in relation to the submission of candidates through the portal are electronically recorded and capable of verification from the Commission’s records and audit trail.
INEC said it was therefore possible to establish objectively the history and source of entries relating to any candidate whose name appears on the portal.
Accordingly, the Commission said the allegation that its officials introduced or “smuggled” candidates into the NDC’s list was not a matter that should be determined by speculation, stressing that the electronic and documentary records relating to the affected constituencies were capable of establishing the relevant facts.
It was equally necessary, INEC said, to clarify the distinction between its responsibility to monitor political party primaries and the responsibility of political parties to nominate and submit their candidates.
The Commission explained that its monitoring of a political party primary does not amount to nomination of a candidate by INEC, just as a report made by officials who monitor a primary does not confer upon the Commission the power to choose a candidate for the political party.
According to INEC, the monitoring process serves the statutory purposes prescribed by law and does not transfer the party’s responsibility for nomination to the Commission.
Where questions arise as to the person who validly emerged from a political party primary, the effect of an appeal arising from that primary, or the validity of any subsequent attempt to alter the outcome of the nomination process, the Commission said such questions must be resolved strictly within the framework of the Electoral Act 2026 and other applicable laws.
INEC said it could not assume the role of a political party in choosing its candidates, nor could it disregard applicable statutory requirements governing the nomination and submission of candidates.
The allegation by the NDC that INEC officials went behind the party to obtain Form EC9 directly from individual aspirants or candidates and thereafter uploaded their particulars without the authority of the party was described by the Commission as particularly serious.
INEC said such an allegation was capable of objective verification from its electronic and documentary records.
Rather than make categorical assertions on matters that can readily be established from those records, the Commission said it would examine the relevant records relating to the constituencies identified by the NDC.
It also urged the party, if it had evidence implicating any official of the Commission in any unauthorised interference with its candidate nomination process, to make such evidence and the particulars of the officials concerned available to the Commission.
INEC said any credible allegation of misconduct by an official of the Commission would be investigated in accordance with established procedures.
It was important, however, for the Commission to emphasise that it has no institutional interest in the choice of candidate made by any political party.
Its responsibility, it said, is to administer the electoral process impartially and in accordance with the Constitution, the Electoral Act and applicable Regulations and Guidelines.
Political parties also have a corresponding responsibility to ensure that their nomination processes, internal appeals, submission of candidates and use of the Commission’s candidate nomination portal are undertaken strictly in accordance with the law and within the prescribed timelines.
INEC said it would continue to discharge its responsibilities transparently, impartially and in accordance with the rule of law, adding that where legitimate concerns are raised concerning the candidate nomination process, the Commission would address them on the basis of its records and the applicable law.
The Commission stressed that it would neither nominate candidates for political parties nor lend itself to the imposition of candidates on any political party.