NDC Accuses INEC of Candidate Replacement, Demands Audit

The NDC, through a statement by Agada Abuh Theophilus, Director of New Media and Strategic Communications, has accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of replacing its candidates. The party states that the ten names published by INEC were not submitted through its nomination process.

The disputed candidates include Umennaajiego Jude Ezenwa for Onitsha South 1 and others across various constituencies. The NDC asserts that it did not collect or submit the necessary EC9E forms for these individuals and questions how INEC acquired their credentials.

Senator Moses Cleopas, the NDC National Chairman, emphasized that the party's final list was signed off by all stakeholders and uploaded using the access code provided by INEC. He criticized INEC for allegedly collecting Form EC9 directly from the disputed candidates and publishing their names without the party's consent, which he claims violates the Electoral Act and INEC guidelines.