INEC Denies NDC's Claims of Candidate List Tampering

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has responded to claims made by the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) that it tampered with the party's candidate lists for State House of Assembly constituencies in Anambra and Benue states. The NDC alleged that names not submitted by the party appeared on the official candidate lists.

INEC, through its Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Kudu Haruna, issued a statement on September 1, 2026, asserting that it does not possess the legal authority to select or swap candidates for any political party. The commission clarified that the nomination process is solely the right of registered parties and that candidate lists are generated from submissions made by the parties themselves.

NDC's National Chairman, Moses Cleopas, called for an investigation into the discrepancies. INEC's Chief Press Secretary, Adedayo Oketola, indicated that the commission would rely on electronic and documentary records to address the dispute, reaffirming INEC's commitment to transparency in the electoral process.