ADC Calls for Criminal Investigation of Nafiu Bala After INEC Disowns His Claims

Chuks Okocha in Abuja

The African Democratic Congress (ADC), has called for the immediate arrest and prosecution of Nafiu Bala Gombe following the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)’s dismissal of his claim that he had obtained the commission’s access code and uploaded candidates for the 2027 general election.

In a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the party said INEC’s disclaimer that the document that Nafiu Bala Gombe circulated was false and forged, amounted to a criminal attempt to undermine the integrity of INEC.

The party urged the commission to refer the matter to law enforcement agencies, warning that allowing such claims to go unpunished could erode public confidence in Nigeria’s electoral process.

ADC welcomed the prompt clarification by INEC, which confirmed that the document circulated by Gombe purporting to show that he had obtained the Commission’s access code and uploaded candidates on behalf of the ADC for the 2027 general election was forged, and that the claim itself was entirely false.

“The issue before us is no longer simply about the continuous false statements that have been issued by Nafiu Bala Gombe at the behest of his sponsors.

“It is about the clear and unmistakable attempt to mislead the Nigerian public by making false claims and fabricating and sharing forged documents that directly impugn the integrity of Nigeria’s electoral management body.

“To publicly claim that one has gained access to INEC’s restricted nomination platform and exercised powers reserved for duly recognised party officials is a grave matter.

“As INEC has now confirmed, Nafiu Bala Gombe’s actions raise serious questions that deserve the immediate attention of law enforcement agencies.

“This is because such claims are capable of undermining public confidence in the electoral process, creating unnecessary political tension and casting doubt on the security and credibility of INEC’s systems.

‘’As a responsible party, the ADC therefore calls on INEC to take all the necessary steps to ensure that Mr. Nafiu Bala and anyone else involved in originating or promoting this falsehood are investigated and prosecuted in accordance with the law,” he stressed.