The Independent National Electoral Commission Independent National  Electoral Commission has denied allegations by the Nigeria Democratic Congress that it removed the party’s candidates for the 2027 general elections and replaced them with names allegedly unknown to the party.

The allegations, which mainly concern some State House of Assembly constituencies in Anambra State, were dismissed by Independent National Electoral Commission’s Chief Press Secretary and Media Adviser to the Independent National Electoral Commission Chairman, Adedayo Oketola.

The Nigeria Democratic Congress  had accused the  Independent National Electoral Commission officials of uploading and publishing unauthorized names as its candidates in nine constituencies, describing the development as a deliberate attempt to sabotage the party ahead of the elections.

However, Oketola said Independent National Electoral Commission had no legal authority to nominate candidates for political parties or substitute candidates validly nominated by them.

He explained that political parties nominate and submit their candidates through the commission’s candidate nomination portal, adding that all activities on the platform are electronically recorded and can be verified through Independent National Electoral Commission’s records and audit trail.

Oketola said It is therefore possible to establish objectively the history and source of entries relating to any candidate whose name appears on the portal.

He also dismissed the suggestion that Independent National Electoral Commission’s monitoring of party primaries gave the commission the power to select candidates.

On the National Democratic Congress ’s allegation that the Independent National Electoral Congress officials obtained Form EC9 directly from aspirants and uploaded their details without the party’s authorization, Oketola described the claim as serious but said it could be verified from the commission’s records.

Oketola urged the Nigeria Democratic Congress   to provide evidence and details of any Independent National Electoral Commission officials allegedly involved, assuring that credible allegations of misconduct would be investigated.

He said Independent National Electoral Congress  had no interest in determining which candidates political parties fielded, stressing that its responsibility was to administer elections impartially and within the law.

The Nigeria Democratic Congress National Chairman, Moses Zuwoghe, had called on the Independent National Electoral Congress Chairman to investigate the alleged substitution and determine how the names were published as candidates of the party.