The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has rejected the publication of 10 individuals as its candidates for the 2027 Anambra State House of Assembly election, saying the affected persons did not emerge from its nomination process.
The party is now asking the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct an electronic audit of its nomination portal to establish how the names and credentials of the individuals allegedly became part of the commission’s records.
The NDC Director of New Media and Strategic Communications, Theophilus Agada, made the demand in a statement released in Abuja on Wednesday.
According to Agada, the party submitted candidates who successfully passed through its nomination and appeal procedures, but alleged that INEC published different names.
He said the individuals listed by the commission were not part of the party’s approved nomination process.
The affected candidates are Umennaajiego Ezenwa for Onitsha South 1, Akpotue Chibuike for Onitsha South II, Nwankwo Chiemerie for Orumba North and Maduagwu Eric K. for Anaocha I.
Others listed are Ngoebisi Obinna for Idemili North, Isintume Charles for Njikoka I, Nwachukwu Nonso for Nnewi South I, Okeke Akunne for Nnewi South II, Nnonyelu Samson E. for Ayamelum and Azotani Francis for Dunukofia.
The NDC insisted that none of the 10 names was submitted by the party after its internal nomination and appeal processes.
Agada said the party uploaded only the candidates who were cleared through its own procedures.
The opposition party argued that the responsibility for presenting its candidates and their required credentials rests with the political party, after which INEC processes and publishes the information.
It therefore questioned the source of the documents attached to the 10 individuals appearing on the commission’s list.
“The NDC did not collect or forward completed EC9E forms for the 10 persons whose names later appeared on INEC’s published list,” Agada said.
He consequently demanded an explanation from the electoral commission over how it obtained the credentials of the affected candidates.
The party believes an electronic examination of INEC’s nomination platform could help establish how the disputed information entered the system and identify where the alleged discrepancy occurred.
The latest complaint follows an earlier warning by the NDC that it could take legal action against INEC over what it described as the substitution of its legitimate candidates with unfamiliar names.
The party’s National Chairman, Moses Cleopas, had raised the issue in a statement issued in Abuja on Sunday.
Cleopas alleged that several individuals listed by INEC as NDC candidates for the Anambra Assembly were not nominated by the party and had never been submitted as its representatives.
The party considers the matter particularly sensitive because Anambra is the home state of its presidential candidate, Peter Obi.
According to the NDC, the alleged publication of unauthorised candidates could create confusion within opposition parties as political activities ahead of the 2027 elections intensify.
INEC has already begun reviewing its records following the allegations raised by the NDC.
However, the electoral commission rejected the claim that it replaced candidates nominated by the party with individuals of its own choosing.
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Adedayo Oketola, INEC Chief Press Secretary and Media Adviser to the commission’s Chairman, said the electoral body does not have the legal authority to nominate candidates for political parties.
He also maintained that INEC cannot substitute validly nominated candidates with persons selected by the commission.
The disagreement between the NDC and INEC therefore remains unresolved, with the proposed audit expected to be central to determining how the disputed names appeared on the commission’s published list.
