By Sandra Kenneth
The Independent National Electoral Commission has launched an internal audit of its portal records following allegations by the Nigeria Democratic Congress that unrecognized names were published on its 2027 candidate list.
The NDC claimed that unapproved individuals were uploaded as its official candidates for several House of Assembly constituencies, particularly in Anambra State. The party alleged that validly nominated candidates were systematically replaced with unknown names, accusing officials of obtaining Form EC9 directly from unauthorized aspirants.
Dismissing claims of institutional bias, INEC’s Chief Press Secretary, Adedayo Oketola, clarified that the commission holds no legal authority to select or substitute candidates for political parties.
“For the avoidance of doubt, INEC does not nominate candidates for political parties. The nomination of candidates is the responsibility of political parties, subject to compliance with the Constitution, the Electoral Act 2026, and other applicable laws,” Oketola stated.
Addressing the technical aspect of candidate submissions, Oketola emphasized that all entries made via the commission’s candidate nomination portal are tied to party-specific access credentials and tracked through a secure electronic audit trail.
Key details regarding the commission’s position include:
- Audit Trail Verification: Every upload, edit, and access log on the candidate nomination portal is electronically recorded, allowing investigators to trace the exact source of any entry.
- Separation of Roles: Statutory monitoring of party primaries by INEC officials does not grant the commission the power to choose, endorse, or alter a party’s list of candidates.
- Call for Evidence: INEC urged the NDC to submit concrete evidence detailing any specific officials suspected of unauthorized interference, promising formal investigations into any credible claims of misconduct.
The commission reaffirmed that candidate disputes must be resolved within the framework of the Electoral Act 2026 and assured the public that the investigation will rely strictly on documentary and portal records rather than speculation.
