2027: INEC recognises Atiku, 471 ADC candidates, says only David Mark-led leadership can submit candidates

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has confirmed that it will recognise only candidates submitted by the Senator David Mark-led leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), disclosing that the faction has already nominated candidates for 471 elective positions ahead of the 2027 general elections.

INEC National Commissioner, Mohammed Haruna, said the commission granted the Mark-led leadership access to its candidate nomination portal following the Supreme Court judgment affirming its leadership of the party.

According to him, the rival faction has no legal basis to submit candidates.

“We gave the Mark-led faction the access code based on the recent Supreme Court judgment affirming its leadership. The faction has since submitted candidates for 471 positions, comprising two presidential candidates, 109 senatorial candidates and 360 House of Representatives candidates.

“The court did not direct us to accept any submissions from the rival faction, which had already lost its appeal for recognition,” Haruna said.

The clarification came amid renewed controversy over the ADC’s leadership following Monday’s Court of Appeal judgment on the party’s state congresses.

Reacting to INEC’s position, the ADC called for the investigation and prosecution of its factional leader, Nafiu Bala Gombe, over claims that he uploaded the party’s candidates to the commission’s nomination portal.

In a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the party welcomed INEC’s clarification that Bala neither received access codes nor uploaded candidates on behalf of the ADC.

The party described Bala’s claims as false and misleading.

“The issue has gone beyond political disagreement. It now involves an apparent attempt to deceive the Nigerian public.

“To falsely claim access to INEC’s restricted nomination portal and suggest that one exercised powers reserved for recognised party officials is a serious matter that deserves immediate investigation,” the statement read.

The ADC urged INEC and relevant security agencies to investigate and prosecute anyone connected with what it described as the false claims.

The party’s reaction followed an earlier allegation by the Media Office of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar that INEC had granted Bala access to its nomination portal, an allegation the electoral body has since denied.

On the Court of Appeal judgment delivered on Monday, Haruna said the commission would reserve its position until it obtained and studied the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the judgment.

“We cannot comment until we receive the judgment. Once we study its contents, the commission will take an official position,” he said.

The appellate court had upheld an earlier Federal High Court judgment restraining INEC from recognising state congresses conducted by committees appointed by the David Mark-led caretaker leadership of the ADC.

The decision arose from a suit filed by seven aggrieved ADC state chairmen, who challenged the dissolution of the party’s state executives and the appointment of caretaker committees to conduct congresses.

Both the Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal held that the dissolution of the state executives violated the ADC constitution because their tenure had not expired.

However, the judgment relates specifically to the conduct of state congresses and does not affect the party’s direct primaries or the nomination of candidates for elective offices.

The ADC maintained that its candidates emerged through valid direct primaries and that the Court of Appeal ruling has no effect on their nominations for the 2027 general elections.

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