The Independent National Electoral Commission has dismissed allegations that its officials removed candidates nominated by the Nigeria Democratic Congress for the 2027 Anambra State House of Assembly election and replaced them with individuals who were not selected by the party.
The commission described the allegation as unfounded and maintained that it did not substitute the candidates submitted by the political party with impostors.
The controversy comes as preparations intensify for the 2027 general elections, with political parties completing their candidate nomination processes and INEC moving ahead with the publication and verification of candidates.
The NDC had raised concerns over the names appearing on the electoral commission’s records, alleging that some of its candidates had been replaced without the party’s approval.
INEC, however, rejected the accusation and maintained that its role is to process and publish the information submitted by duly recognised political parties in accordance with the electoral framework.
The commission’s response comes amid growing scrutiny of the candidate nomination process as parties seek to resolve internal disputes and ensure that their preferred candidates are properly reflected in INEC’s records.
The Anambra controversy also highlights the importance of political parties carefully monitoring the information submitted to the electoral commission and promptly raising objections where discrepancies are identified.
With the 2027 elections approaching, disputes over nominations and candidate lists are expected to remain an important issue, particularly as parties move from internal selection processes to the wider campaign season.
INEC has repeatedly urged political parties and candidates to follow established procedures and resolve nomination disputes through the appropriate channels.
The commission’s rejection of the NDC’s allegation is expected to put further pressure on the party to provide evidence supporting its claims, while INEC will face continued scrutiny to ensure that the final candidate lists accurately reflect nominations made by political parties.
The development comes at a time when electoral stakeholders are also calling on INEC to strengthen its systems ahead of 2027, following concerns recorded during the recent Osun governorship election, including delays, technological challenges and other voting-related difficulties.
