TD Abuja, Nigeria – The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has been plunged into fresh crisis following claims by a faction led by Mr. Nafiu Bala Gombe that it successfully uploaded the names of a presidential candidate and other nominees to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) nomination portal.
The development has triggered alarm within the party’s recognized leadership and raised questions about INEC’s neutrality ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Bolaji Abdullahi Raises Alarm
ADC spokesperson Bolaji Abdullahi dismissed the reports as “a blatant lie”.
Abdullahi insisted that INEC does not issue nomination portal access codes to leadership it does not recognize, nor does it grant two codes to the same party.
“Otherwise, every impostor would simply upload names to the portal and proclaim themselves the authentic leadership of a polital party.
“That is plainly not how the law or the Commission’s processes work,” Abdullahi said.
He further questioned the evidence of the purported upload, stressing that Bala Gombe’s group is not recognized by law or by INEC.
Abdullahi also accused the faction of forgery and unauthorized use of documents purportedly emanating from INEC.
He warned that such actions could undermine public confidence in the Commission’s integrity.
Allegations of INEC Partisanship
In a separate press release, the ADC accused INEC of aiding President Bola Tinubu’s agenda to weaken opposition parties.
The party alleged that by granting access codes to Bala Gombe, INEC was fueling internal crises and undermining the recognized leadership of the Sen. David Mark-led executive committee.
The statement recalled past controversies, accusing INEC under Prof. Joash Amupitan of bias.
It cited the removal of names of the duly recognized ADC exco following what it termed “judicial rascality” by Justice Lifu, who allegedly ignored a superior appellate court ruling.
“The so-called ‘successful’ uploading of candidates by Nafiu Bala Gombe is neither grounded in law nor supported by INEC’s own guidelines.
“Nafiu Bala Gombe is not recognized as ADC Chairman. Mark is duly recognized.
“Can there be two recognized Chairmen of a political party? Certainly not,” the statement read.
Legal Framework and Constitutional Concerns
The ADC reminded INEC of its constitutional obligations.
Section 222 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) stipulates that candidates of a political party must emerge through recognized party primaries supervised by INEC.
Similarly, Section 84 of the Electoral Act, 2022 (as amended) requires parties to conduct primaries and submit only one validly nominated candidate per elective office.
The party insisted that Bala Gombe’s faction did not conduct any lawful primaries, rendering any purported uploads “null and void.”
It described INEC’s alleged granting of access codes to Bala Gombe as unconstitutional and unlawful.
Recipe for Crisis
The ADC warned that INEC’s actions could destabilize the party and other opposition groups.
It accused Prof. Amupitan of deliberately fomenting crisis to weaken opposition parties and aid President Tinubu’s alleged agenda of “total state capture.”
“What INEC has done is a recipe for crisis and confirms that Prof. Joash Amupitan was appointed to enable the weakening of the opposition parties by creating crisis even where none exists,” the statement declared.
Future Outlook
The unfolding controversy has heightened unease within the ADC and raised broader concerns about INEC’s neutrality ahead of the 2027 general elections.
With accusations of forgery, unauthorized uploads, and partisanship, the matter underscores the fragile state of Nigeria’s electoral process and the urgent need for transparency.
The ADC leadership called for investigation and corrective action.
The spotlight now falls on INEC to clarify its role and reaffirm its commitment to fairness.
For many observers, the case is a litmus test of whether Nigeria’s electoral umpire can rise above political pressures and safeguard the integrity of the democratic process.
