Party chairman Moses Zuwoghe alleges that INEC published unauthorised names in Anambra and other states, prompting a threat of legal action

Nigeria Democratic Congress national chairman Moses Zuwoghe on Sunday, August 30, 2026, accused the Independent National Electoral Commission of publishing unauthorised candidates in the party’s name for the 2027 elections, particularly in Anambra State, and threatened legal action to challenge the disputed list.

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Zuwoghe raised the allegation while reacting to INEC’s publication of candidates for the State Houses of Assembly elections, saying the names released for several Anambra constituencies did not correspond with candidates nominated by the party through its primaries and appeal process.

The NDC chairman alleged that 10 names appeared on the published list for Anambra constituencies despite the party not having nominated the individuals or submitted their names to INEC.

He described the development as a serious concern for the opposition party, particularly because Anambra is the home state of NDC presidential candidate Peter Obi.

“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,” Zuwoghe said.

He alleged that nine of the disputed names in the Anambra State House of Assembly list were unknown to the party and had neither been authorised nor submitted by the NDC in accordance with the electoral process.

The affected constituencies, according to Zuwoghe, include Onitsha South 1, Onitsha South 2, Orumba North, Anaocha 1, Idemili North, Njikoka 1, Nnewi South, Nnewi South 2, Ayamelum and Dunukofia.

The party chairman said the controversy emerged after the completion of the NDC’s primaries and subsequent appeal process.

According to him, stakeholders from Anambra, NDC leaders, representatives of Obi and members of the party’s appeals panel agreed on a final list, which was signed off before being submitted through the electoral commission’s prescribed process.

Zuwoghe alleged that difficulties arose when the approved list was uploaded to the INEC portal using the access code issued to the party.

He claimed that nine names were left in “Pending” status, with INEC officials allegedly informing the party that the individuals were already captured in the commission’s system because they had been submitted by officials who monitored the party’s primaries.

The NDC subsequently challenged the disputed entries and supplied what it described as the authentic list of candidates, together with the required covering letter.

Zuwoghe alleged, however, that the changes were not made.

He further accused INEC of bypassing the party by obtaining Form EC-9 directly from the disputed individuals before publishing their names as NDC candidates.

The allegation has not been independently established, and INEC has not, in the material available for this report, publicly responded to the NDC’s claims.

Zuwoghe argued that the commission could not lawfully impose candidates on a political party and said any disagreement over the authenticity of nominations should have been resolved with the party rather than through unilateral publication.

“At the very worst, INEC could have left us with no candidates for those positions, if they knew they were unwilling to engage us in addressing any perceived anomaly,” he said.

The chairman also alleged that similar problems had emerged in other states, specifically mentioning Benue and Imo.

He said the alleged discrepancies were particularly troubling because they could generate confusion among party supporters, embarrass legitimate candidates and create internal disputes ahead of the 2027 elections.

The NDC’s complaint also raises a broader question about the process through which political parties transmit candidate information to INEC and how disputes are resolved when information submitted by parties differs from records obtained during electoral monitoring.

Zuwoghe said the party’s preliminary internal investigation had raised concerns about possible complicity by some INEC officials, although he did not provide evidence publicly establishing such involvement.

The chairman urged INEC Chairman Professor Mahmood Yakubu to investigate how the disputed names entered the commission’s records and determine whether similar discrepancies occurred elsewhere.

He maintained that resolving the matter promptly was important to prevent what he described as a potentially damaging situation from undermining confidence in the electoral process.

The NDC has vowed to pursue every available legal avenue if the published list is not corrected.

Zuwoghe said the party would approach a court of competent jurisdiction to challenge the disputed publication and seek recognition of the candidates produced through its internal nomination process.

The party also urged its members, supporters and the wider public to disregard the disputed names, insisting that they do not represent the candidates nominated by the NDC for the affected constituencies.

With the 2027 elections approaching, the NDC INEC candidate dispute adds another layer of political and administrative tension to the preparations for the polls.

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The immediate test will be whether INEC and the party can resolve the disagreement through the established electoral and legal mechanisms before the dispute affects the participation of candidates in the affected constituencies.