The Northern Obidient Youth Assembly (NOYA) has taken a strong stand against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), accusing it of eroding Nigeria’s electoral credibility through what it termed a “cynical and corrupt” use of court-ordered candidate list amendments.
Abdullahi Suleiman, the group’s Coordinator, issued the statement, raising concern over a section on INEC’s website tagged “Amended List of Candidates Pursuant to Court Order,” which, according to NOYA, has become a channel for manipulation instead of promoting transparency.
Suleiman alleged that INEC no longer plays the role of an impartial electoral body, stating that the institution has fallen under the influence of political forces and internal rot.
“Lawfully nominated candidates are either omitted or replaced on party lists in violation of internal party democracy, only to be reinstated later by court rulings,” he said.
He argued that these actions aren’t mistakes but premeditated. “These are politically influenced moves that force candidates into costly and time-consuming legal battles just to reclaim their rightful positions,” he said.
He further claimed that corrupt insiders in INEC have turned the list-editing process into a money-making scheme.
According to Suleiman, these actors “are allegedly receiving tens of millions of naira in bribes to alter candidate lists with the full expectation that the judiciary will later correct the fraud.”
He stressed that by the time names are restored, the damage is already done.
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“The corrected names often appear so late that meaningful participation in elections becomes nearly impossible. It is a profit-driven racket at the expense of democracy,” Suleiman stated.
He went on to criticise how the judiciary has been forced into a reactive role.
“The judiciary has effectively become an emergency repair service for a system that INEC intentionally breaks, creating a two-tier system of justice, one for the connected and wealthy, and another for candidates unable to afford prolonged legal battles.”
NOYA is demanding swift action. The group called on the National Assembly to investigate the trend of court reversals and recommend forensic audits that could reveal financial links to candidate list changes.
The group also pushed for criminal probes into INEC’s internal dealings, urging that any official found guilty must be held accountable.
“If this practice continues unchecked, Nigerian elections will remain a charade, where backroom deals override ballots, and courtrooms become the new battleground for electoral mandates,” Suleiman warned.
He concluded: “The Nigerian people deserve better. Democracy cannot survive when its referees are on the payroll of the players.”