2027: NDC Accuses INEC Of Uploading Unknown Names As Party Candidates

The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of illegally replacing some of its candidates ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The NDC specifically alleged that INEC uploaded ten unauthorized names in various constituencies in the Anambra State House of Assembly.

Naija News reports that the NDC statement, issued on Sunday by its National Chairman, Senator Moses Cleopas Zuwoghe, said the ten names published as candidates of the party are unknown to them and were not sent to INEC by the party.

It claimed that several names published by INEC as NDC candidates did not emerge from its nomination process.

“The Nigeria Democratic Congress totally condemns the action of the Independent National Electoral Commission and its officials over the uploading and publication of unauthorized names in various constituencies, principally in the Anambra State House of Assembly,” he said.

He called on the INEC Chairman to immediately investigate the matter and determine how the disputed names found their way onto the commission’s candidates’ portal.

The NDC chairman also urged the commission to extend the investigation to other states, including Benue and Imo, where the party claimed to have observed a similar pattern.

He said the development had embarrassed the party, its leadership and genuine candidates, while creating disaffection among supporters across the country and in the Diaspora.

Zuwoghe alleged that preliminary findings from the party’s internal investigation pointed to the involvement of some INEC officials in the publication of the disputed names.

He explained that after the conclusion of the party’s primaries and appeal process, stakeholders in Anambra State, working with the national leadership and representatives of the party’s presidential candidate, produced a final list of candidates which was uploaded to the INEC portal.

According to him, while most of the candidates were successfully uploaded, some names were placed on “pending” status because INEC claimed its system already contained different names allegedly submitted by officials who monitored the party’s primaries.

He said the party formally challenged the names and submitted the identities of what it considered the authentic candidates, but the commission failed to make the requested corrections.

The NDC chairman further alleged that INEC bypassed the party by collecting Form EC-9 directly from the disputed candidates before uploading and publishing them as NDC candidates.

“To further confirm that there was a predetermined effort on the part of INEC to impose the said candidates on the party, INEC went behind the NDC to collect the Form EC-9 directly from the candidates, bypassing the party,” he alleged.

Zuwoghe argued that the commission’s action was contrary to the Electoral Act and INEC’s own guidelines, insisting that the electoral body had no power to impose candidates on political parties.

He maintained that where discrepancies existed between names submitted by a party and reports from election monitors, INEC should have left the affected positions vacant rather than publish names not recognized by the party.

He vowed that the party would take up the matter in court and ensure that its authentic candidates were restored.

“We will 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.