2027: NDC, others nominate candidates on our portal -INEC

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said that the nomination of candidates for the upcoming general elections is the sole responsibility of the registered political parties that nominate and upload their particulars to its portal.

The commission in a statement by its Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee (IVEC), Mallam Mohammed Kudu Haruna described as unfounded, allegations by the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) that it substituted the party’s validly nominated candidates for State House of Assembly seats in Anambra and Benue states.

The leadership of the NDC had raised the alarm, accusing the commission of smuggling names to replace some of its candidates, especially in Anambra, Benue and Imo states, after INEC published the list of candidates for national and state assembly elections last week.

The commission, however said that the NDC national chairman endorsed the list which was submitted and uploaded by the commission on its website

“The Commission has noted a statement by the leadership of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) alleging that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) removed the party’s validly nominated candidates for certain State House of Assembly constituencies in Anambra and Benue states and replaced them with unauthorised names.

“The Commission states that these allegations are unfounded. Candidate nomination is, by law, the exclusive responsibility of political parties. INEC has no legal authority to select, insert, or substitute a candidate for any party. Monitoring a party’s primary is a statutory oversight function only and confers no power on INEC to choose or impose a candidate.

“Ahead of the 2027 election, all 22 registered parties designated two technically trained officers to handle their nomination process, following training organised by the Commission. Thereafter, the portal access codes were issued directly and in person to each party’s National Chairman, and not by proxy. List of candidates were generated for each party as submitted by the party jointly signed by the National Chairmen and National Secretaries of the party, making the submission in Form EC9 series (A-G). Therefore any claim that the Commission independently uploaded or altered candidate information is unfounded and untrue.

“As a matter of fact, the Commission has in its possession, Form EC9E where these candidates were listed and submitted to the Commission duly signed by the National Chairman and the National Secretary of the party,” Haruna said.

He said the commission remains committed to transparency, accountability and providing a level playing field for all stakeholders in the electoral process.