The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of replacing some of its nominated NDC candidates with individuals the party says it never submitted for the 2027 elections.
The allegation followed INEC’s publication of candidates for the 2027 State Houses of Assembly elections.
National Chairman of the NDC, Senator Moses Cleopas Zuwoghe, raised the allegation in a statement on Sunday, expressing particular concern over names published for constituencies in Anambra State.
Cleopas alleged that 10 individuals whose names were not authorised or submitted by the party appeared on INEC’s list as NDC candidates in Anambra.
He described the development as an attempt to undermine the party ahead of the elections and create confusion among its supporters.
The NDC chairman called on the INEC Chairman to investigate how the disputed names entered the commission’s list.
He also urged the commission to extend the investigation to Benue and Imo states, where he said the party had observed similar developments.
According to Cleopas, the situation had embarrassed the party, its leadership and its genuine candidates while creating disaffection among supporters in Nigeria and abroad.
“We, as a party, are also carrying out our own independent investigation, the preliminary findings of which are already pointing to the complicity of INEC officials in foisting names purporting to be our candidates, but who are not from us,” he alleged.
The party identified the following names as individuals allegedly published by INEC as its candidates:
- Onitsha South 1: Umennaajiego Jude Ezenwa
- Onitsha South 2: Akpotue Obinna Chibuike
- Orumba North: Nwankwo Chiemerie
- Anaocha 1: Maduagwu Eric K
- Idemili North: Ngoebisi Obinna
- Njikoka 1: Isintume Charles
- Nnewi South: Nwachukwu Nonso
- Nnewi South 2: Okeke Ifeanyi Akunne
- Ayamelum: Nnonyelu Samson E
- Dunukofia: Azotani Chuks Francis
Cleopas said the party’s major concern was not only the identities published but also the process through which the names were uploaded.
He explained that following the conclusion of the party’s primaries and appeal process, stakeholders from Anambra, the NDC leadership, representatives of its presidential candidate Peter Obi and members of the appeals panel agreed on a final list.
According to him, the agreed list was signed by the relevant stakeholders and uploaded to the INEC portal using the code supplied to the party.
Cleopas alleged that INEC officials subsequently kept nine of the disputed positions on “Pending” status, claiming the names were already contained in the commission’s records based on submissions by officials who monitored the party’s primaries.
He said the NDC challenged the disputed names and provided the identities of candidates it considered legitimate.
However, he alleged that the commission did not replace the names.
The NDC chairman further alleged that INEC later collected Form EC-9 directly from the individuals whose candidacies were disputed and uploaded the documents without involving the party.
“To further confirm that there was a predetermined effort on the part of INEC to impose the said nine candidates on the party, and embarrass both NDC and Mr. Peter Obi, INEC went behind the NDC to collect the Form EC-9 directly from the candidates, bypassing the party, and uploading same,” he alleged.
He argued that where differences existed between candidates submitted by a political party and information obtained through INEC’s monitoring process, the commission should have left the affected positions vacant until the discrepancy was resolved.
“At the very worst, INEC could have left us with no candidates for those positions, if they knew they were unwilling to engage us in addressing any perceived anomaly,” he said.
Cleopas alleged that the development reflected a broader pattern in which opposition parties were prevented from uploading their preferred candidates while alternative names were introduced into their lists.
The NDC chairman said the party would challenge the development through available legal channels.
“We are moving to approach the court of competent jurisdiction to seek redress and restore our authentic candidates,” he said.
He urged the public and the party’s supporters to disregard the disputed names, insisting that they were not the candidates nominated by the NDC.
The allegations have placed renewed attention on the candidate-uploading and verification process ahead of the 2027 elections, with the NDC demanding clarification from INEC on the disputed entries.
