No Power To Substitute Candidates – INEC Replies NDC Over Anambra, Benue Assembly List

By Felix Oti, Awka

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has yesterday dismissed allegations by the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, that the Commission removed the party’s validly nominated candidates for certain State House of Assembly constituencies in Anambra , Benue States and replaced them with unauthorised names.

The Commission described the allegations as “unfounded.”

This was contained in a press release signed by the Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, IVEC, Mohammed Kudu-Haruna on 1st September, 2026

The statement reads:“The Commission has noted a statement by the leadership of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) alleging that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) removed the party’s validly nominated candidates for certain State House of Assembly constituencies in Anambra and Benue States and replaced them with unauthorised names. The Commission states that these allegations are unfounded.”

INEC explained that candidate nomination is, by law, the exclusive responsibility of political parties.

“INEC has no legal authority to select, insert, or substitute a candidate for any party. Monitoring a party’s primary is a statutory oversight function only and confers no power on INEC to choose or impose a candidate.”

HOW THE 2027 NOMINATION PROCESS WORKS
The Commission disclosed that ahead of the 2027 election, all 22 registered parties designated two technically trained officers to handle their nomination process after training organised by INEC.

Portal access codes were issued directly and in person to each party’s National Chairman, and not by proxy.

“List of candidates were generated for each party as submitted by the party jointly signed by the National Chairmen and National Secretaries of the party, making the submission in Form EC9 series (A-G). Therefore any claim that the Commission independently uploaded or altered candidate information is unfounded and untrue.”

INEC HAS SIGNED FORM EC9E
The Commission added that it has in its possession Form EC9E where the NDC candidates were listed and submitted, duly signed by the party’s National Chairman and National Secretary.

INEC reaffirmed its commitment to transparency, accountability and providing a level playing field for all stakeholders in the electoral process.