The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of undermining its internal leadership structure by allegedly granting access to the commission’s candidate nomination portal to a rival faction ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The allegation follows a statement issued on July 11, 2026, by Nafiu Bala Gombe, who claims to be the National Chairman of the ADC. Gombe announced that he had successfully uploaded the names of the party’s candidates to INEC’s portal—a key step in the nomination process for the 2027 elections.
According to the ADC faction loyal to Senator David Mark, INEC had previously recognised the party’s National Working Committee led by the former Senate President. The group argued that Gombe is not the legally recognised chairman of the party and questioned how he allegedly gained access to the commission’s portal.
The faction further criticised INEC for failing to publicly clarify the situation, describing the commission’s silence as troubling. It alleged that granting portal access to a rival claimant contradicts both the Electoral Act and INEC’s own guidelines governing the submission of candidates.
The party also referenced previous disputes involving its leadership, claiming that actions taken by the electoral body have contributed to internal crises within the ADC.
Citing Section 222 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and Section 84 of the Electoral Act 2022 (as amended), the group maintained that only candidates who emerge through valid party primaries supervised by INEC can be lawfully nominated. It insisted that the only legitimate candidates are those produced by the David Mark-led leadership, arguing that any parallel submission would have no legal standing.
The faction called on INEC to clarify its position and urged the commission to remain impartial in the administration of the electoral process, warning that any perceived interference could deepen divisions within opposition parties ahead of the 2027 general elections.
As of the time of filing this report, INEC has not issued an official response to the allegations or confirmed the claims regarding access to its candidate nomination portal.
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