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2027: INEC speaks on alleged replacement of NDC candidates
NG🏛️ PoliticsCenter9/3/2026

2027: INEC speaks on alleged replacement of NDC candidates

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has denied allegations by the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) that it removed the party’s nominated candidates for certain state assembly constituencies in Anambra and Benue states and substituted them with unauthorized names. In a statement, INEC emphasized that candidate nomination is the exclusive responsibility of political parties and that it has no legal authority to replace or insert candidates. The NDC accused INEC of systematically removing its candidates for the 2027 elections and replacing them with unfamiliar names, claiming that these individuals were not authorized by the party. The NDC’s national chairman, Moses Zuwoghe, listed ten specific candidates whose names appeared on INEC’s list without prior approval, alleging that INEC officials bypassed the party’s leadership to submit forms directly to affected candidates. The NDC vowed to investigate the issue and pursue legal action against what it called 'imposters' on the list.

The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has disowned 10 candidates listed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the 2027 Anambra State House of Assembly elections. The party insists it neither nominated the individuals nor submitted their Form EC9E documents to INEC. In a statement issued in Abuja, the NDC's Director of New Media and Strategic Communications, Theophilus Agada, confirmed that the names published by INEC did not emerge from the party’s nomination or appeal processes. He stated that the NDC had only uploaded candidates who passed through its appeal process, but INEC rejected those names and instead published others unknown to the party. The candidates disowned by the NDC include Umennaajiego Ezenwa (Onitsha South 1), Akpotue Chibuike (Onitsha South II), Nwankwo Chiemerie (Orumba North), Maduagwu Eric K. (Anaocha I), Ngoebisi Obinna (Idemili North), Isintume Charles (Njikoka I), Nwachukwu Nonso (Nnewi South I), Okeke Akunne (Nnewi South II), Nnonyelu Samson E. (Ayamelum), and Azotani Francis (Dunukofia). The NDC emphasized that the process for nominating candidates was clearly defined, with political parties responsible for submitting the names and particulars of their candidates before INEC processes and publishes them. The party reiterated that it is the legal responsibility of political parties to submit the names and credentials of their nominated candidates. The NDC did not collect or forward completed EC9E forms for the 10 persons whose names later appeared on INEC’s published list. Agada questioned how INEC obtained the credentials of the affected persons, noting that it is the party’s legal duty to submit the names of its approved candidates. This development follows the NDC’s threat to sue INEC over allegations that candidates nominated by the party for the 2027 State Houses of Assembly elections were replaced with persons it described as “strange names” unknown to the party. The NDC accused INEC of publishing unauthorized names as its candidates in several constituencies, particularly in Anambra State, and alleged that the development was part of a broader strategy to create confusion and internal disaffection within opposition parties ahead of the 2027 general elections. The National Chairman of the NDC, Senator Moses Cleopas, raised the alarm in a statement issued in Abuja on Sunday. He said the party had identified several names published by INEC as candidates for the Anambra State House of Assembly that were neither nominated nor submitted by the NDC. He described the situation as significant because Anambra is the home state of the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi. Following the allegations, INEC began examining its records to determine how names allegedly unknown to the NDC appeared on the party’s list of candidates for the 2027 elections. However, INEC denied the allegation that it replaced candidates nominated by the party with persons unknown to it. INEC’s Chief Press Secretary and Media Adviser to the INEC Chairman, Adedayo Oketola, stated that the commission had no legal authority to nominate candidates for political parties or substitute candidates validly nominated by political parties with its preferred persons. INEC further denied the allegations in a statement issued on Tuesday and signed by Mohammed Kudu Haruna, Chairman of its Information and Voter Education Committee (IVEC). The statement described the allegations as “unfounded.” INEC stressed that political parties, rather than INEC, are responsible for nominating and submitting their candidates for elections. The commission explained that its role in monitoring party primaries was limited to statutory oversight and did not extend to choosing candidates for political parties. All 22 registered political parties participating in the 2027 electoral process designated two technically trained officers to manage their candidate nomination processes following training organized by INEC. Access codes to the nomination portal were issued directly to the national chairmen of the parties. INEC stated that the candidate lists were generated from submissions made by the political parties and jointly signed by their national chairmen and national secretaries through the relevant Form EC9 series. It rejected claims that it independently uploaded or altered the information submitted by the NDC. INEC assured political parties and other stakeholders that it remained committed to transparency and accountability in the electoral process. The commission emphasized its commitment to transparency, accountability, and providing a level playing field for all stakeholders in the electoral process. The NDC, however, rejected INEC’s explanation and asked the commission to clarify how it obtained the EC9E forms for the 10 candidates. The NDC disputed INEC’s claim and challenged the commission to explain how it obtained the EC9E forms for the 10 candidates if, as the party insists, it did not submit them. The NDC also called on INEC to conduct an electronic audit trail of its nomination portal to establish how the 10 candidates were uploaded. The NDC National Chairman, Moses Zuwoghe, alleged that 10 names published by INEC as NDC candidates in Anambra State were unknown to the party and had not been submitted by its leadership. He said the party had submitted the names of its candidates that emerged from its primary and appeal processes through the INEC nomination portal. He alleged that while the party’s approved candidates were submitted through the portal, some were left in “pending” status. The NDC accused INEC of bypassing its leadership to obtain EC9E forms directly from some of the affected candidates and publishing their names as the party’s candidates. The NDC said it was investigating the matter and threatened to seek legal redress to have what it described as “imposters” removed from the list. However, INEC rejected the allegations, stating that the names published were based on information submitted by the NDC through the prescribed nomination process. The commission reiterated that candidate nomination is the exclusive responsibility of political parties and that it has no legal authority to select, insert, or substitute a candidate for any party.

How this report was made. Objective News wrote this report from 3 source articles, using AI-assisted synthesis under our methodology. It is our own text, not a copy of any single outlet. Read our methodology.

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6 reports

Premium Times Nigeria logoPremium Times NigeriaIndependentCenterFactual 90Objective 859/3/2026
2027: NDC rejects INEC’s explanation, asks commission to explain source of Anambra candidates’ list

The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has rejected the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)'s explanation regarding the appearance of 10 unapproved candidates' names on its electoral portal. The NDC claims these names were not submitted by the party and accuses INEC of 'smuggling' them into the system. INEC responded by stating that the names were included in EC9E forms submitted by the NDC's national chairman and secretary. However, the NDC disputes this, questioning how INEC obtained the forms if they were not submitted. The party has demanded an electronic audit of the nomination portal to clarify how the names were uploaded and urged INEC to provide transparency.

Bias read (Center): The article presents both the NDC's allegations and INEC's rebuttal without overtly favoring either side. It includes direct quotes from both parties and does not employ biased language or selective sourcing. The framing remains neutral, focusing on the factual exchange between the two entities.

Why factuality (90): The article presents both sides of the dispute between NDC and INEC regarding the submission of candidates' names. It includes direct quotes from both parties and accurately summarizes their positions. The details align with the general consensus found in other related reports, making it highly fact

Why objectivity (85): The article remains largely neutral, presenting both the NDC's accusations and INEC's responses without taking a definitive side. It uses formal language and avoids emotionally charged terms, maintaining a balanced perspective despite covering a contentious issue.

The Punch logoThe PunchIndependentCenterFactual 85Objective 809/2/2026
NDC disowns 10 Anambra candidates on INEC portal

The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has disowned 10 candidates listed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the 2027 Anambra State House of Assembly elections. The party claims it did not nominate these individuals or submit their Form EC9E documents, which are required for candidate registration. The NDC has called for an electronic audit of INEC's nomination portal to investigate how these names were added to the system. The party insists that only candidates who passed its internal appeal process were submitted to INEC, but those names were rejected, and unauthorized individuals were published instead. This issue follows previous accusations by the NDC that INEC replaced authorized candidates with unfamiliar names, potentially causing confusion and internal conflict among opposition parties ahead of the 2027 elections.

Bias read (Center): The article presents the NDC's claim that INEC improperly listed candidates without the party's authorization. It includes direct quotes from the NDC's spokesperson and references the party's formal statements, providing balanced coverage of the dispute between the NDC and INEC. No overtly biased or

Why factuality (85): The article reports on the NDC's official statement regarding the disowning of 10 candidates listed by INEC. It provides specific names and details of the candidates involved, as well as quotes from the party representative. While no primary source is available, the information aligns with typical r

Why objectivity (80): The article presents the NDC's position in a neutral manner, quoting the party representative directly. However, it uses terms like 'allegedly' and 'insisting' which may imply some level of skepticism or bias. The overall tone remains professional, though slightly leans toward presenting the NDC's p

Vanguard Nigeria logoVanguard NigeriaIndependentCenterFactual 75Objective 809/1/2026
2027: INEC denies replacing NDC candidates with unathorised names

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Nigeria has denied allegations from the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) that it replaced authorized candidates with unauthorized names ahead of the 2027 general elections. In a formal statement, INEC emphasized that political parties are solely responsible for selecting and submitting their candidates, stating that it has no legal authority to alter or replace such nominations. The commission clarified that its role involves statutory oversight of party primaries but does not include selecting candidates. INEC noted that all 22 registered political parties were provided with access codes to submit their candidate lists directly, and these submissions were verified and signed by both the national chairman and secretary of each party. INEC reiterated its commitment to transparency and fairness in the electoral process.

Bias read (Center): The article presents INEC's denial of the allegations in a balanced manner, quoting the commission's official statement and explaining its procedures without apparent bias toward either side. There is no overtly loaded language or selective sourcing that would indicate a clear ideological lean.

Why factuality (75): The article accurately reports that INEC released governorship candidate lists and explains the significance of the Form EC9 publication. It aligns with other sources on the timing and nature of the announcement, though it omits some contextual details about the broader election cycle.

Why objectivity (80): The article remains neutral, presenting the facts without taking a stance on the implications of the candidate list release. It avoids emotional language and focuses on the procedural aspects.

Premium Times Nigeria logoPremium Times NigeriaIndependentCenterFactual 70Objective 659/2/2026
2027: INEC speaks on alleged replacement of NDC candidates

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has denied allegations by the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) that it removed the party’s nominated candidates for certain state assembly constituencies in Anambra and Benue states and substituted them with unauthorized names. In a statement, INEC emphasized that candidate nomination is the exclusive responsibility of political parties and that it has no legal authority to replace or insert candidates. The NDC accused INEC of systematically removing its candidates for the 2027 elections and replacing them with unfamiliar names, claiming that these individuals were not authorized by the party. The NDC’s national chairman, Moses Zuwoghe, listed ten specific candidates whose names appeared on INEC’s list without prior approval, alleging that INEC officials bypassed the party’s leadership to submit forms directly to affected candidates. The NDC vowed to investigate the issue and pursue legal action against what it called 'imposters' on the list.

Bias read (Center): The article presents both sides of the dispute: the NDC accuses INEC of acting beyond its authority, while INEC maintains that it adheres strictly to legal procedures. There is no clear ideological slant toward either side, and the reporting remains balanced between the two parties’ claims. Neither側

Why factuality (70): This article reports on the NDC's accusation that INEC replaced their candidates with unauthorized names. While the claims are presented, the article cuts off mid-sentence, limiting the depth of the factual reporting. It aligns with other sources on the NDC's concerns.

Why objectivity (65): The tone leans towards the NDC's perspective, suggesting potential bias. The article frames the issue as a serious concern for the party, which may influence reader perception.

The Punch logoThe PunchIndependentCenterFactual 65Objective 708/30/2026
Morning recap: Four reasons US shouldn’t release my FBI records –Tinubu, INEC unveils 2027 gov candidates, other top stories

President Bola Tinubu has requested a U.S. court to prevent the release of his unredacted FBI and DEA records, arguing that privacy laws and lack of public interest justify withholding the information. Meanwhile, Nigeria's Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced the list of gubernatorial candidates and their running mates for the 2027 elections, providing clarity on who will represent political parties. Other headlines include a Nigerian lawyer recounting a 14-year legal battle against the University of Ilorin over withheld academic credentials, a call by the New Democratic Congress (NDC) to remove content creators posing as activists, and reports of Nigerian footballers scoring in team victories.

Bias read (Center): The article presents multiple stories with varying degrees of political charge. While Tinubu's request to withhold FBI records involves a potential conflict between personal privacy and transparency, the article does not take a clear partisan stance on this issue. Similarly, the NDC's call to remove

Why factuality (65): The article reports on President Tinubu requesting a US court to block the release of his FBI and DEA records, citing privacy laws. This aligns with the cross-source consensus that Tinubu is seeking to prevent disclosure. However, it lacks specific details about the legal arguments or court proceedi

Why objectivity (70): The article presents Tinubu's request neutrally, focusing on the facts without apparent bias. It does not take sides or express opinion on the legality of the request, maintaining a balanced tone.

Vanguard Nigeria logoVanguard NigeriaIndependentCenterFactual: no official source document/info detectedObjective 809/3/2026
Rivers NDC says deputy gov candidate’s name uploaded on INEC portal

The media directorate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) in Rivers State has denied reports claiming that the name of their deputy governorship candidate, Dr. Mike Barieenee Nwielaghi, had not been uploaded onto the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) portal. In a statement released in Port Harcourt, the NDC emphasized that the candidate's name was indeed successfully uploaded by INEC and urged the public to verify such information before sharing it on social media. The NDC reiterated that Dr. Nwielaghi remains the recognized deputy governorship candidate and called for political discourse based on facts rather than speculation or misinformation. Dr. Nwielaghi confirmed the upload and expressed the party's readiness to assume power after the election, highlighting the governorship candidate, Chief Dumo Lulu Briggs, as someone beloved by the people of Rivers State.

Bias read (Center): The article presents the NDC's denial of a claim regarding the uploading of their deputy governor's name to the INEC portal. It does not exhibit overtly biased language, nor does it favor one side over another. The content focuses on clarifying a factual matter related to the electoral process and呼吁

Why factuality: no official source document/info detected

Why objectivity (80): The article maintains a neutral tone, presenting the NDC's position without overt bias. It encourages verification of information and urges the public to rely on facts rather than speculation. While it supports the NDC's stance, it does so objectively without emotional language or overt favoritism.

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