The controversy over the 2027 Anambra State House of Assembly candidate list has deepened, with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) rejecting allegations that it removed candidates nominated by the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) and replaced them with individuals the party described as “impostors.”
The dispute began on Sunday after the NDC accused the electoral commission of altering its submitted list of candidates for the state assembly elections.
The party’s National Chairman, Moses Zuwoghe, alleged that the list published by INEC contained 10 names that were unknown to the party and were not among the candidates it had nominated.
The allegation raises a fundamental question: who submitted the disputed names to INEC’s candidate nomination system, and when were the entries made?
INEC, however, says the answer can be established through its electronic records rather than political claims or speculation.
INEC: We Do Not Nominate Candidates
Reacting to the allegation on Monday, Adedayo Oketola, Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, described the accusation as serious but maintained that the commission has no legal authority to nominate candidates for political parties.
According to Oketola, candidate nomination is the responsibility of political parties, subject to the Constitution, the Electoral Act 2026 and applicable regulations and guidelines.
“The Commission does not possess the legal authority to select a candidate for a political party or substitute its own preferred candidate for a person validly nominated by a political party in accordance with the law,” he said.
The clarification places the focus on the nomination process operated by the political parties themselves.
INEC said parties are required to submit candidates’ particulars through its candidate nomination portal using access credentials issued to them.
More importantly, according to the commission, the process is not an undocumented manual exercise.
The Digital Audit Trail at the Centre of the Dispute
INEC said every activity associated with candidate submissions on its electronic platform is recorded, creating an audit trail capable of showing the history and source of entries.
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That trail, the commission said, could potentially establish which account submitted a disputed candidate, when the submission occurred and the relevant history of the entry.
This means the disagreement over the 10 Anambra candidates could ultimately be resolved by examining the electronic and documentary records surrounding the nominations.
Oketola therefore urged against determining the matter through allegations alone, stressing that the commission’s records could establish the facts.
The development places considerable importance on the NDC’s own nomination records, internal approvals and the credentials used to access INEC’s candidate nomination portal.
Primary Election Monitoring Is Not Candidate Selection
INEC also rejected any suggestion that its monitoring of political party primaries gives the commission the power to determine which candidates ultimately appear on the ballot.
Oketola explained that monitoring party primaries is distinct from candidate nomination.
He said reports prepared by INEC officials who monitor party primaries do not confer on the commission the authority to select candidates.
“INEC cannot assume the role of a political party in choosing its candidates, nor can it disregard applicable statutory requirements governing the nomination and submission of candidates,” he said.
The distinction is significant because disputes over political nominations often arise from disagreements between party factions over the validity of primaries, delegates and subsequent candidate submissions.
What Happens If an INEC Official Is Implicated?
The commission did not completely dismiss the possibility of wrongdoing by its personnel.
Oketola said any credible allegation of misconduct against an INEC official would be investigated through established procedures.
He also insisted that INEC has no institutional interest in determining which individuals emerge as candidates for political parties.
“The Commission will neither nominate candidates for political parties nor lend itself to the imposition of candidates on any political party,” he said.
The statement leaves open the possibility of an internal investigation should evidence emerge that an official interfered with the nomination process.
NDC, INEC Face Test of Transparency
The unfolding controversy could become an important test of transparency in Nigeria’s electronic candidate nomination system ahead of the 2027 elections.
For the NDC, the immediate challenge is to substantiate its allegation that 10 candidates published for Anambra were not those nominated by the party.
For INEC, the crucial question is whether its electronic and documentary records can provide a clear, independently verifiable account of how each disputed name entered the system.
The commission said political parties also bear responsibility for ensuring that their internal nomination processes, appeals, candidate submissions and use of the nomination portal comply with the law and prescribed deadlines.