INEC denies rival ADC faction accessed nomination portal

Nigeria’s electoral commission has firmly denied allegations that it granted a rival faction of the African Democratic Congress access to its candidate nomination portal, following claims of unauthorized candidate submissions for the 2027 general election. The Independent National Electoral Commission and the ADC's recognized leadership have both dismissed the allegations as false, calling for an investigation into what they describe as forged documents.

The dispute began when Nafiu Bala Gombe, who leads a faction not recognized by INEC, claimed on July 11, 2026, that his group had uploaded presidential and vice-presidential candidate names to the commission's portal. This prompted a statement the following day from former Vice President Atiku Abubakar's media office, alleging that INEC's purported action was unconstitutional and part of an effort to weaken opposition parties ahead of the 2027 polls.

INEC officials have categorically rejected these allegations. A commission spokesperson stated that login details for the nomination portal were provided only to the ADC leadership led by Senator David Mark, which INEC recognizes as the party's legitimate national executive. An...