The Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, has accused the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, of removing some of its nominated candidates for the 2027 elections and replacing them with persons allegedly unknown to the party.
NDC National Chairman, Senator Moses Cleopas Zuwoghe, raised the allegation on Sunday following INEC’s publication of candidates for the 2027 State Houses of Assembly elections.
Cleopas alleged that the discrepancies were particularly pronounced in Anambra State, home state of the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and accused the electoral commission of attempting to undermine the party ahead of the polls.
He claimed that persons who were neither authorised nor submitted by the NDC appeared on INEC’s list as candidates for several constituencies.
The chairman called on the INEC Chairman to immediately investigate how the disputed names found their way onto the commission’s list.
He also urged the electoral body to extend the investigation to Benue and Imo states, where he said the party had identified a similar pattern.
According to Cleopas, the development had embarrassed the NDC, its leadership and candidates, while creating disaffection among supporters in Nigeria and the diaspora.
“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.
Cleopas claimed the disputed process was being used to intimidate and embarrass the opposition party.
The NDC identified the disputed names published for Anambra constituencies as Umennaajiego Jude Ezenwa for Onitsha South 1; Akpotue Obinna Chibuike for Onitsha South 2; Nwankwo Chiemerie for Orumba North; Maduagwu Eric K for Anaocha 1; Ngoebisi Obinna for Idemili North; Isintume Charles for Njikoka 1; Nwachukwu Nonso for Nnewi South; Okeke Ifeanyi Akunne for Nnewi South 2; Nnonyelu Samson E for Ayamelum; and Azotani Chuks Francis for Dunukofia.
Cleopas said the party was particularly concerned about how the names were uploaded and subsequently published by INEC.
He explained that after the conclusion of the NDC primaries and appeal process, stakeholders from Anambra, the party leadership, representatives of Obi and the appeals panel agreed on a final list of candidates.
According to him, the list was signed by the relevant stakeholders before being uploaded to the INEC portal using the code provided to the party by the commission.
Cleopas alleged that INEC officials subsequently left nine of the submitted names on “Pending” status, claiming the affected names already existed in the commission’s system based on submissions from officials who monitored the party’s primaries.
He said the NDC formally challenged the disputed entries and submitted the names of those it considered its legitimately nominated candidates, but alleged that INEC refused to replace them.
Cleopas further accused the commission of subsequently collecting Form EC-9 directly from the disputed candidates and uploading the forms without going through 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.
The NDC chairman argued that if there was a discrepancy between the names submitted by the party and information obtained by INEC officials who monitored the primaries, the commission should have left the affected positions vacant until the disagreement 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 accused INEC of creating a situation in which opposition parties could be prevented from uploading their preferred candidates while other names were introduced into their lists.
He vowed that the NDC would challenge the development in court and seek the restoration of candidates it considers authentic.
“We are moving to approach the court of competent jurisdiction to seek redress and restore our authentic candidates. The general public and our millions of supporters should note that these are not our candidates,” he said.
