INEC denies Atiku’s claim over ADC nomination portal access

The Independent National Electoral Commission has dismissed allegations by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar that it granted a rival faction of the African Democratic Congress access to its candidate nomination portal.

A senior INEC official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the commission never issued portal access codes to the faction led by Nafiu Gombe, insisting that only the party leadership headed by former Senate President David Mark is officially recognised.

The official said INEC operates strictly within the provisions of the Constitution, the Electoral Act and its electoral guidelines, adding that its records identify David Mark as the ADC National Chairman and former Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola as the party’s National Secretary.

According to the official, Gombe and his associates have no legal authority to upload candidates’ names because they are not recognised by the commission.

The clarification followed claims by Atiku’s media office that INEC had secretly granted Gombe access to the nomination portal despite recognising the David Mark-led leadership, describing the move as an attempt to weaken the opposition ahead of the 2027 general election.

Atiku’s camp also accused an INEC official, Prof. Joash Amupitan, of allegedly interfering in the internal affairs of opposition parties and working in favour of President Bola Tinubu’s political interests.

Responding to the allegations, the INEC official described them as baseless, stressing that Amupitan had no role in the leadership dispute within the ADC.

The official maintained that the commission neither recognised Gombe’s faction nor provided it with access to any nomination portal.

The ADC also rejected claims that its rival faction uploaded candidates’ names to INEC’s portal, insisting that only the David Mark-led leadership is recognised by the electoral body.

The party further called on INEC to investigate the alleged forgery and misuse of documents purportedly issued by the commission amid the ongoing leadership crisis.

The dispute comes as rival factions continue to battle for control of the ADC following the emergence of David Mark as national chairman and Rauf Aregbesola as national secretary ahead of preparations for the 2027 general elections.

(Punch)