NDC Accuses INEC Of Replacing 10 Anambra Assembly Candidates With ‘Impostors’

The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of replacing its candidates for the 2027 Anambra State House of Assembly election with ‘imposters’.

In a statement issued on Sunday, NDC National Chairman Moses Zuwoghe said the list released by INEC contained 10 names that were not approved or submitted by the party.

“The Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, totally condemns the action of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and its officials over the uploading and publication of unauthorized names in various constituencies, principally in the Anambra State House of Assembly (home state of our Presidential Candidate, His Excellency Peter Obi), where ten (10) names, unknown to the party; names not authorized by the party; names not sent by the party to INEC, in accordance with the law, have now been uploaded and published as candidates of the party,” the statement reads.

Zuwoghe alleged that the names were added to INEC’s server without the party’s knowledge and described the development as an attempt to undermine the NDC ahead of the 2027 elections.

“I, as Chairman of the Party and custodian of the code given to the NDC for the upload of our candidates, never uploaded those names, and I unequivocally state that the party did not also upload those nine names,” he said.

He said the affected names appeared in several constituencies across Anambra State, including Onitsha South, Orumba North, Anaocha, Idemili North, Njikoka, Nnewi South, Ayamelum and Dunukofia.

The party identified the alleged unauthorised candidates as Umennaajiego Jude Ezenwa, Akpotue Obinna Chibuike, Nwankwo Chiemerie, Maduagwu Eric K, Ngoebisi Obinna, Isintume Charles, Nwachukwu Nonso, Okeke Ifeanyi Akunne, Nnonyelu Samson E and Azotani Chuks Francis.

The NDC chairman insisted that he did not upload the names to the INEC portal, stressing that he was the party official responsible for using the code provided to the NDC to submit its candidates.

Zuwoghe argued that if INEC had concerns about the names submitted by the party, it should have left the affected positions vacant instead of publishing candidates the party did not recognise.

He said the alleged action violated the Electoral Act and INEC’s own rules, and called on the electoral commission’s chairman to immediately investigate how the names appeared on the official list.

The NDC also wants the investigation extended to other states, including Benue and Imo, where it claims similar issues have been reported.

According to Zuwoghe, the alleged replacement of the party’s candidates has created confusion and anger among its members and supporters across Nigeria and abroad.

“The same investigation should also be carried out in other constituencies like Benue, Imo and others, as this mischief has not only caused an embarrassment to the party, its leadership and genuine candidates, but has also caused a lot of disaffection among the millions of the party’s supporters all over the country and in the Diaspora,” he said.

He frowned at what he described as “an emerging pattern whereby INEC deliberately prevents parties from uploading their rightful candidates, while criminally handpicking candidates for the parties and instigating a crisis of confidence and internal disharmony within the said parties”.

The NDC chairman said the party would continue to pursue the matter until its legitimate candidates are restored.

“Even as we move to approach the court of competent jurisdiction to seek redress and restore our authentic candidates, the general public and our millions of supporters should note that these are not our candidates,” he said.

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