INEC Denies Granting ADC Rival Faction Access to Candidate Nomination Portal
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has dismissed allegations that it granted a rival faction of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), led by Nafiu Bala Gombe, access to its candidate nomination portal.
A senior INEC official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the commission only recognises the National Executive Committee of the ADC led by former Senate President David Mark, insisting that Gombe and his associates were never issued access credentials to upload candidates’ names.
The clarification followed allegations by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s Media Office, which accused INEC of aiding efforts to undermine the opposition by allegedly allowing Gombe’s faction to submit candidates through the commission’s portal.
According to the official, INEC operates strictly in line with the Constitution, the Electoral Act and its regulations, stressing that the commission’s records recognise David Mark as the ADC National Chairman and former Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola as the party’s National Secretary.
The official maintained that since Gombe is not recognised by the commission as the party’s chairman, he lacks the authority to access the nomination portal or upload the names of candidates.
INEC also rejected claims that its Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, was interfering in the ADC’s internal affairs or working to weaken opposition parties ahead of the 2027 general election, describing the allegations as unfounded.
The commission urged political actors to address their internal disputes instead of dragging INEC into party leadership crises.
Meanwhile, the ADC, through its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, also denied reports that Gombe’s faction uploaded candidates’ names to the INEC portal. The party reiterated that only the David Mark-led leadership is recognised by the electoral commission.
The party further called on INEC to investigate what it described as alleged forgery and the unauthorised use of documents purportedly issued by the commission after claims by the rival faction that it had successfully uploaded the names of the party’s presidential and other candidates.
The dispute over the ADC’s leadership has continued to deepen following the emergence of David Mark as National Chairman and Rauf Aregbesola as National Secretary, with rival factions contesting the legitimacy of the new leadership ahead of the 2027 general elections.
