The Atiku Media Office has accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of acting with bias after a rival faction of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) claimed it successfully uploaded candidates to the commission’s nomination portal. The former vice president’s camp is demanding an explanation over how the faction allegedly obtained access despite insisting that the David Mark-led executive remains the recognised leadership of the party.
Fresh controversy has erupted over the 2027 election nomination process after former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s media team accused INEC of compromising its neutrality in the ongoing leadership dispute within the African Democratic Congress.
The allegation follows claims by the Nafiu Bala Gombe-led faction that it uploaded the names of its presidential, vice-presidential and National Assembly candidates to INEC’s nomination portal.
In a statement issued on Monday, the Atiku Media Office argued that access to INEC’s candidate nomination portal is reserved for officials of political parties recognised by the electoral commission.
The media office questioned how the rival faction allegedly obtained an access code, insisting that INEC had previously recognised the David Mark-led executive as the legitimate leadership of the ADC. It alleged that granting portal access to the rival camp, if confirmed, raises concerns about the commission’s impartiality ahead of the 2027 elections.
The statement further alleged that allowing a rival faction to submit candidates could deepen the internal crisis within the ADC and create uncertainty over which nominations would ultimately be recognised.
It also called on INEC to publicly clarify the circumstances surrounding the reported portal access and to ensure that its actions remain consistent with the Electoral Act and its own nomination guidelines.
As of the time of filing this report, INEC had not issued an official response to the allegations made by the Atiku Media Office.
The commission has also not publicly confirmed whether the rival faction was granted valid access to its candidate nomination portal or whether any uploaded nominations would be recognised pending resolution of the ADC’s leadership dispute.
The latest exchange adds another layer of uncertainty to the leadership crisis within the ADC as political parties continue preparations for the 2027 general election. Attention is now focused on INEC’s next move and whether it will address the allegations to reassure stakeholders about the integrity of the nomination process.