The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has reaffirmed that it recognises only the candidates submitted by the Senator David Mark-led leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) ahead of the 2027 general election, dismissing claims by a rival faction that it had access to the commission’s nomination portal.
INEC National Commissioner, Mohammed Haruna, disclosed that the electoral body granted the David Mark-led leadership access to its candidate nomination portal after a Supreme Court judgement affirmed the faction’s leadership. According to him, the recognised leadership has already submitted candidates for 471 elective positions, including two presidential candidates, 109 senatorial candidates and 360 House of Representatives candidates.
Haruna explained, “Yes, we gave the Mark-led faction the code based on the recent Supreme Court judgement that affirmed his leadership of the party, and the faction has since submitted most of its candidates for a total of 471 – presidential (2), senatorial (109) and House of Representatives (360) constituencies. The court, however, did not say we should accept any submissions by the rival faction which, in any case, had lost its appeal for recognition.”
The clarification came as the ADC called for the investigation and prosecution of its factional leader, Nafiu Bala Gombe, following INEC’s denial of claims that he had obtained access to the commission’s restricted nomination portal and uploaded candidates for the party. In a statement issued by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC welcomed INEC’s position and accused Bala of deliberately misleading Nigerians.
According to the party, “The African Democratic Congress (ADC) welcomes the prompt clarification by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which unequivocally confirmed that the document circulated by Mr Nafiu Bala purporting to show that he had obtained the commission’s access code and uploaded candidates on behalf of the ADC for the 2027 general election was forged and that the claim itself was entirely false. The issue before us is no longer simply about the continuous false statements that have been issued by Nafiu Bala Gombe at the behest of his sponsors. It is about the clear and unmistakable attempt to mislead the Nigerian public.”
The opposition party further described the alleged claim of gaining access to INEC’s restricted portal as a serious matter requiring criminal investigation. It urged the electoral body and relevant law enforcement agencies to take action against everyone involved in what it described as an attempt to deceive the public.
The statement added, “To publicly claim that one has gained access to INEC’s restricted nomination platform and exercised powers reserved for duly recognised party officials is a grave matter that deserves the immediate attention of law enforcement agencies. As a responsible party, the ADC therefore calls on INEC to take all the necessary steps to ensure that Mr Nafiu Bala and anyone else involved in originating or promoting this falsehood are investigated and prosecuted in accordance with the law.”
Meanwhile, Haruna said INEC would reserve its position on the latest Court of Appeal judgement concerning the ADC leadership dispute until it receives and studies the Certified True Copy of the ruling. “INEC cannot say anything until we see the judgement. We have to see the details of the judgement first. Hopefully, in the next two days, within 48 hours, the court should release the judgement. We will study it, and then the commission will take a position,” he stated.
The Court of Appeal had on Monday, in a split 2-1 decision, upheld an earlier Federal High Court ruling restraining INEC from recognising state congresses conducted by caretaker committees appointed by the David Mark-led leadership. The courts held that dissolving the party’s state executives before the expiration of their tenure violated the ADC constitution and that the powers to conduct state congresses remained with the elected state executives.
Despite the appellate court’s decision, INEC maintained that its recognition of the David Mark-led leadership and the candidates already submitted was based on the earlier Supreme Court judgement. The ADC also insisted that the latest judgment dealt strictly with ward, local government and state congresses and had no effect on the direct primaries through which its candidates for elective offices emerge.
