NDC DEMANDS INEC PORTAL AUDIT OVER 10 ANAMBRA CANDIDATES

The Nigeria Democratic Congress has demanded an immediate electronic audit of the Independent National Electoral Commission’s nomination portal over 10 candidates published as its nominees for the 2027 Anambra State House of Assembly elections.

The party said it neither nominated the affected candidates nor submitted their Form EC9E documents to INEC, describing their appearance on the commission’s list as unexplained.

NDC Director of New Media and Strategic Communications, Theophilus Agada, said the party uploaded only candidates who emerged from its nomination and appeal processes, but alleged that INEC rejected those names and published individuals unknown to the party.

The affected candidates include Umennaajiego Ezenwa for Onitsha South I, Akpotue Chibuike for Onitsha South II, Nwankwo Chiemerie for Orumba North and Maduagwu Eric K. for Anaocha I, among others.

Agada questioned how INEC obtained the credentials of the 10 candidates when political parties are responsible for submitting the names and documents of their nominees.

The development follows an earlier threat by the NDC to sue INEC over alleged replacement of its candidates with what it described as “strange names” in several Anambra constituencies.

The party’s National Chairman, Moses Cleopas, said the issue was particularly significant because Anambra is the home state of its presidential candidate, Peter Obi.

INEC has denied replacing candidates nominated by political parties, with its Chief Press Secretary, Adedayo Oketola, saying the commission has no legal authority to nominate candidates for political parties or substitute validly nominated candidates with its preferred choices.

The commission has nevertheless begun examining its records to determine how the names allegedly unknown to the NDC appeared on the party’s published candidate list.