The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has confirmed that it will recognise only candidates submitted by the Senator David Mark-led leadership of the African Democratic Congress for the 2027 general election, disclosing that the faction has already uploaded candidates for 471 elective positions.
INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Haruna, told The PUNCH that the commission granted the Mark-led leadership access to its Candidate Nomination Portal following a Supreme Court judgment affirming its leadership of the party.
According to Haruna, the faction has since completed the nomination of its presidential, vice-presidential, senatorial and House of Representatives candidates.
“Yes, we gave the Mark-led faction the code based on the recent Supreme Court judgment 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,” he said.
The clarification came as the ADC called for the investigation and prosecution of its factional leader, Nafiu Bala Gombe, over claims that he uploaded the party’s candidates to INEC‘s nomination portal.
In a statement issued on Tuesday by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the party welcomed INEC’s clarification that Bala was never granted access to the restricted portal and accused him of attempting to mislead the public.
“The African Democratic Congress welcomes the prompt clarification by the Independent National Electoral Commission, 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 statement read.
The party argued that falsely claiming access to INEC’s restricted nomination portal was a serious offence and urged the electoral commission to ensure that those responsible are investigated and prosecuted.
“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,” the party stated.
Haruna also said the commission would not immediately comment on Monday’s Court of Appeal judgment concerning the ADC leadership dispute until it obtains and reviews the Certified True Copy of the ruling.
“INEC cannot say anything until we see the judgment. We have to see the details of the judgment first. Hopefully, in the next two days, within 48 hours, the court should release the judgment. We will study it, and then the commission will take a position,” he said.
The Court of Appeal had affirmed an earlier Federal High Court judgment restraining INEC from recognising state congresses conducted by committees appointed by the David Mark-led caretaker leadership of the ADC.
However, INEC maintained that its recognition of the Mark-led National Executive Committee and the nominations already submitted were based on an earlier Supreme Court judgment, while the ADC insisted that the appellate court’s decision relates only to the conduct of state congresses and does not affect the validity of its primary elections or the nomination of its candidates for the 2027 general election.