The NDC rejected the names of 10 Assembly candidates published on the INEC portal

The Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC) has rejected the names of 10 candidates published by the Independent National Electoral Commission for the 2027 Anambra State House of Assembly elections, insisting that it has neither nominated any such persons nor submitted their Form EC9E documents.

The party also demanded an immediate electronic audit of the INEC nomination portal to determine how the names and credentials of the candidates entered the commission’s system.

The NDC’s Director of New Media and Strategic Communications, Theophilus Agada, revealed his party’s position in a statement issued in Abuja on Wednesday.

He said, “The 10 names published by INEC did not emerge from the party nomination process or appeal process.

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“The NDC only uploaded candidates that emerged from our appeals process, but the commission rejected the names approved by the party and then published the names of people we did not know.”

Candidates not recognized by the party include Umennaajiego Ezenwa (Onitsha South 1), Akpotue Chibuike (Onitsha South II), Nwankwo Chiemerie (Orumba North), Maduagwu Eric K. (Anaocha I), Ngoebisi Obinna (Idemili North) and Isintume Charles (Njikoka I).

Others are Nwachukwu Nonso (Nnewi South I), Okeke Akunne (Nnewi South II), Nnonyelu Samson E. (Ayamelum) and Azotani Francis (Dunukofia).

The party stated that the process for nominating candidates is clear, with political parties responsible for submitting the names and details of their candidates before INEC processes and publishes them.

“It is the party’s legal responsibility to submit the names and credentials of its nominated candidates,” the statement said.

“The NDC did not collect or forward the completed EC9E forms for the 10 people whose names subsequently appeared on the list published by INEC,” he said.

Agada therefore questioned how the commission obtained the credentials of the affected persons.

He asked: “How did the commission obtain their credentials when it is the party’s legal obligation to submit the names of approved candidates?”

This latest development comes days after the NDC threatened to sue INEC over allegations that candidates nominated by the party for the state House of Representatives elections in 2027 were replaced with people it described as “strange names” unknown to the party.