Sunday Aborisade in Abuja
The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), has accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of allegedly hijacking its list of candidates for the 2027 State Houses of Assembly elections by substituting names nominated by the party with what it described as “strange and unauthorised candidates”.
The opposition party, in a statement by its National Chairman, Senator Moses Cleopas Zuwoghe, alleged that the development was part of a systematic attempt to undermine the party ahead of the 2027 general election, particularly in Anambra State, the home state of its presidential candidate, Peter Obi.
The NDC said it was particularly alarmed by the publication of nine names in various Anambra State constituencies which, according to the party, were neither nominated at its primaries nor submitted to INEC as its candidates.
It, therefore, demanded an immediate investigation by INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, into how the names found their way into the commission’s published list, while warning that it would seek judicial intervention to reclaim the candidacies.
Zuwoghe, in the statement, said, “The Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, totally condemns the action of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and its officials over the uploading and publication of unauthorized names in various constituencies, principally in the Anambra State House of Assembly, home state of our Presidential Candidate, His Excellency Peter Obi.
“Here, nine names, unknown to the party; names not authorized by the party; names not sent by the party to INEC, in accordance with the law, have now been uploaded and published as candidates of the party.”
The party chairman described the development as “a deliberate plot to sabotage the NDC ahead of the general elections” and cause confusion and disaffection among its supporters.
“We call on the INEC Chairman to urgently and immediately cause an investigation into the matter and unravel how this came to be,” he said.
According to him, the proposed investigation should not be limited to Anambra State but extended to other states where the NDC had allegedly experienced similar problems.
“The same investigation should also be carried out in other constituencies like Benue, Imo and others, as this mischief has not only caused an embarrassment to the party, its leadership and genuine candidates, but has also caused a lot of disaffection among the millions of the party’s supporters all over the country and in the Diaspora,” Zuwoghe said.