BY AHMED AKANBI
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has insisted it does not nominate or swap candidates for political parties.
Responding to allegations by the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) in an interview Monday in Abuja, the Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Adedayo Oketola said the commission has no constitutional or statutory power to pick candidates for parties.
“For the avoidance of doubt, INEC does not nominate candidates for political parties.
“The nomination of candidates is the responsibility of political parties, subject to compliance with the constitution, the Electoral Act 2026 and other applicable laws, Regulations and Guidelines.
“Similarly, 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 NDC had alleged that some of its candidates for the 2027 general elections were removed from the INEC’s list and replaced with names the party did not nominate.
The party said affected areas include some Anambra State House of Assembly constituencies.
Oketola said the allegation that INEC officials “smuggled” candidates into the NDC’s list was too serious to be handled by speculation.
He disclosed that the commission would scrutinise its electronic and documentary records for the constituencies identified by NDC, especially in Anambra, to trace how the disputed names appeared on the candidate nomination portal.
According to him, the portal was designed to receive candidates’ particulars directly from parties through access credentials issued to them.
“The commission’s electronic audit trail can objectively establish the source and history of entries submitted through the portal,” Oketola said.