The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has dismissed claims by a faction of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) that it successfully uploaded the party’s candidates for the 2027 general election through the commission’s nomination portal.
The claim was made on Sunday, July 12, by Nafiu Bala, who has been laying claim to the ADC national chairmanship.
In a post on his official Facebook page, Bala said his faction had completed the submission of the party’s candidates using INEC’s online portal.
However, INEC said the claim was false.
Responding to enquiries, the commission’s Director of Voter Education and Publicity, Victoria Eta-Messi, stated that Bala was not recognised by INEC as the national chairman of the ADC.
“It is not true,” Victoria Eta-Messi said.
Checks on INEC’s official political parties portal also contradict Bala’s claim.
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The commission’s records continue to recognise Senator David Mark as the National Chairman of the ADC, while Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola is listed as the party’s National Secretary.
Both officials remain the authorised representatives of the party for nominations and other official dealings with the electoral body.
The latest controversy is another twist in the leadership crisis that has divided the ADC ahead of the 2027 general election, with rival factions laying claim to the party’s structure.
Bala’s group had earlier claimed it secured INEC’s access code and used it to upload presidential, vice-presidential and National Assembly candidates.
INEC’s latest response has now rejected that assertion, reinforcing its position that only the leadership officially recognised by the commission can access the nomination portal and carry out candidate submissions on behalf of the party.