The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC has refuted claims of replacing Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC).
“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,” he said.
According to him, the candidate nomination portal provided by the commission is the platform through which political parties submit the particulars of their candidates using access credentials issued for that purpose, and INEC does not get itself involved in nominating and submitting candidates.
He added that all activities carried out on the portal were electronically recorded and could be verified through the Commission’s records and audit trail.
“It is therefore possible to establish objectively the history and source of entries relating to any candidate whose name appears on the portal,” Oketola said.
He said the allegation that INEC officials introduced or “smuggled” candidates into the NDC’s list should therefore not be determined through speculation, noting that the electronic and documentary records would establish what transpired.
Oketola added that monitoring of a party primary by INEC officials did not amount to the Commission nominating a candidate for the party.
“Neither does a report made by officials who monitor a primary confer upon the Commission the power to choose a candidate for the political party,” he said.
On the NDC’s specific allegation that INEC officials went behind the party to obtain Form EC9 directly from individual aspirants or candidates and subsequently uploaded their particulars without the party’s authorisation, Oketola described the claim as particularly serious.
He said, however, that to verify the allegation, INEC would examine the relevant records in specific constituencies pointed out by the NDC.
“Rather than make categorical assertions on matters that can readily be established from those records, the Commission will examine the relevant records relating to the constituencies identified by the NDC,” he said.
He also urged the NDC to provide the Commission with evidence and details of any officials allegedly involved in unauthorised interference with its candidate nomination process, promising that such claims would be investigated in accordance with established procedures.
The commission, he stressed, had no institutional interest in the choice of candidates fielded by any political party.
“Its responsibility is to administer the electoral process impartially and in accordance with the Constitution, the Electoral Act and applicable Regulations and Guidelines,” he said.
Oketola also reminded political parties of their responsibility to ensure that their nomination processes, internal appeals, submission of candidates and use of the Commission’s candidate nomination portal complied with the law and prescribed timelines.
He assured stakeholders that INEC would continue to handle the candidate nomination process transparently and impartially, adding that legitimate concerns would be addressed on the basis of the Commission’s records and applicable law.
“The Commission will neither nominate candidates for political parties nor lend itself to the imposition of candidates on any political party,” Oketola said.
