The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of replacing some of its nominated candidates for the 2027 general elections with names allegedly unknown to the party.

The NDC made the allegation in a statement signed by its National Chairman, Sen. Moses Cleopas, following the publication of the list of candidates for the State Houses of Assembly elections by INEC.

Cleopas alleged that the electoral commission removed 10 candidates nominated by the party, particularly in Anambra State, and replaced them with names that were not submitted by the NDC.

According to him, the development appeared to be a deliberate attempt to create confusion within the party and undermine its candidates ahead of the 2027 elections.

The NDC said the issue became apparent after the party uploaded its final list of candidates to the INEC portal using the code provided by the commission.

The party alleged that INEC officials kept nine of its candidates on “pending” status, while later publishing different names as the party’s candidates.

Cleopas said the commission claimed that the names had been submitted by its officials who monitored the NDC primaries.

He, however, said the party formally appealed the decision and submitted the authentic list of candidates, alongside the necessary covering letter, but INEC allegedly refused to make the correction.

The NDC further alleged that INEC collected Form EC-9 directly from the affected individuals, without going through the party, and subsequently uploaded and published the names.

The party described the action as unacceptable and called on the INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, to immediately investigate the matter and establish how the disputed names entered the NDC candidate list.

The NDC also called for the investigation to cover other constituencies in Benue and Imo states, where it said similar incidents had been observed.

According to the party, the alleged substitution of its candidates had caused embarrassment to its leadership and genuine candidates while creating dissatisfaction among its supporters.

The NDC said it was conducting its own independent investigation and claimed that its preliminary findings pointed to possible involvement of some INEC officials in the process.

The party alleged that the process was being used to impose individuals who were not its candidates and to intimidate or pressure the party.

Full List of Disputed Anambra Candidates

The NDC listed the following names as candidates allegedly published by INEC without the party’s authorisation:

1. Onitsha South 1 – Umennaajiego Jude Ezenwa
2. Onitsha South 2 – Akpotue Obinna Chibuike
3. Orumba North – Nwankwo Chiemerie
4. Anaocha 1 – Maduagwu Eric K
5. Idemili North – Ngoebisi Obinna
6. Njikoka 1 – Isintume Charles
7. Nnewi South – Nwachukwu Nonso
8. Nnewi South 2 – Okeke Ifeanyi Akunne
9. Ayamelum – Nnonyelu Samson E.
10. Dunukofia – Azotani Chuks Francis

The NDC chairman maintained that none of the 10 names was uploaded by the party as its candidates.

He said the authentic list was produced after the completion of the party’s primaries and appeal process, with stakeholders, party leaders, representatives of the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and the Appeals Panel involved in the process.

Cleopas said the final list was signed off by all relevant stakeholders before it was submitted to INEC.

He also alleged that, instead of leaving the affected positions vacant pending clarification, the electoral commission uploaded names the party had not submitted.

The NDC chairman said the party would pursue the matter until the disputed names were removed and the situation corrected.

The party urged INEC to address the allegations and ensure that only candidates duly nominated and submitted by political parties are published for the 2027 elections.

INEC had not, in the statement provided by the NDC, responded to the allegations.