- INEC backs David Mark-led ADC faction
- The party submits 471 candidates for 2027 polls
- ADC seeks probe over rival portal claims
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 (ADC) for the 2027 general elections.
Eko Hot Blog gathered that the electoral body said the faction had been granted access to its candidate nomination portal based on a Supreme Court judgment that affirmed its leadership, adding that it has already submitted candidates for 471 elective positions.
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INEC National Commissioner, Mohammed Haruna, disclosed that the submissions covered two presidential slots, 109 senatorial seats and 360 House of Representatives constituencies.
According to Haruna, the commission’s decision was based on the Supreme Court ruling that recognised the Mark-led leadership, while the rival faction had no legal standing to submit candidates.
He said INEC only provided access credentials to the recognised leadership of the party and did not authorise submissions from the opposing faction.
The development followed claims by a rival faction of the ADC that it had uploaded candidates through INEC’s nomination portal, an allegation the electoral commission later dismissed.
Reacting to INEC’s clarification, the ADC called for an investigation and prosecution of Nafiu Gombe, accusing him of attempting to mislead Nigerians by allegedly claiming access to the commission’s restricted platform.
The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, said the matter had moved beyond an internal disagreement and had become an issue involving alleged false representation.
The ADC said claiming access to INEC’s restricted nomination system without authorisation was a serious matter that required the attention of security agencies.
It urged INEC to take necessary steps to ensure that anyone involved in promoting what it described as false claims is investigated and prosecuted.
The controversy began after reports emerged alleging that INEC had granted access to the rival faction led by Nafiu Gombe to upload candidates for the 2027 elections. The electoral commission, however, denied the claim and maintained that only the Mark-led leadership was recognised.
The ADC leadership dispute has continued despite various court proceedings. Earlier, the Court of Appeal upheld a Federal High Court decision restricting INEC from recognising state congresses conducted by committees appointed by the David Mark-led leadership.
The appellate court’s judgment focused on the party’s state congresses and internal administrative processes, not the validity of candidates that emerged from the party’s primaries.
The ADC maintained that the ruling did not affect the legitimacy of its primaries or the candidates already selected for elective positions.
INEC, meanwhile, said its position on the nomination process remains guided by the Supreme Court judgment recognising the Mark-led faction as the legitimate leadership of the party.
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