The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has dismissed claims that a faction of the party led by Nafiu Bala Gombe uploaded presidential and other candidates for the 2027 general election to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) portal, describing the reports as false and misleading.
The party said the allegation collapses under basic scrutiny, insisting that INEC does not issue nomination access codes to individuals or groups it does not officially recognise as the legitimate leadership of a political party.
According to the ADC, the electoral commission cannot issue separate nomination access codes to rival factions of the same party, as the system is designed to prevent unauthorised persons from submitting candidates.
“INEC does not issue nomination access codes to a leadership it does not officially recognise, nor does it hand rival groups separate codes to submit candidates for the same political party.”
The party questioned the authenticity of the alleged submission, asking those behind the claim to produce verifiable evidence, including an official acknowledgement, portal receipt, or confirmation from INEC.
“Where is the verifiable evidence of this alleged submission? If candidates were truly uploaded, there should be official documentation that can be independently authenticated by INEC.”
The ADC said that instead of credible proof, a suspicious document has been circulating on social media, adding that it has formally alerted INEC to what it believes is the forgery and unauthorised use of documents falsely presented as originating from the electoral body.
The party warned that the incident goes beyond an internal disagreement, describing it as an attempt to undermine the integrity of Nigeria’s electoral process.
“This is not merely an internal party disagreement. It is an attack on electoral credibility. Fabricated documents can mislead supporters, create unnecessary tension, and erode public confidence in both the political process and INEC.”
The party called for a thorough investigation into the alleged forgery and insisted that anyone claiming to have submitted candidates must provide evidence that can be verified by the electoral commission.
“The recognised leadership of the ADC is right to demand a full investigation. Anyone claiming to have submitted candidates must present evidence that INEC can independently verify.”
Reaffirming its commitment to the 2027 elections, the party said it would not be distracted by what it described as “manufactured authority” and political mischief.
“The ADC will not be distracted by photocopied propaganda, manufactured authority or political mischief. Our focus remains on strengthening the party, building a credible national coalition, and presenting Nigerians with a serious alternative in 2027.”
The party also urged its supporters to remain calm, disregard misinformation, and rely only on official communications from the ADC and INEC.
“The law recognises institutions, not noise. INEC recognises authorised leadership, not social media declarations. No suspicious document can replace legitimacy. We urge our supporters to remain calm and rely only on official party and INEC communications.”