The African Democratic Congress has called for the investigation and prosecution of its factional leader, Nafiu Bala Gombe, after the Independent National Electoral Commission dismissed claims that he uploaded the party’s candidates for the 2027 general election through the commission’s nomination portal.
The party made the demand on Tuesday in a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, shortly after INEC confirmed that only the David Mark-led National Executive Committee is recognised by the commission and authorised to access its nomination platform.
The latest dispute is part of the leadership crisis that has divided the ADC into two camps led by former Senate President David Mark and Nafiu Bala Gombe. The disagreement has resulted in several court cases, protests and rival claims to the party’s leadership as preparations for the 2027 general election continue.
According to the party, INEC’s clarification has settled the controversy surrounding the nomination process. The ADC said the commission made it clear that the document circulated by Gombe, which allegedly showed that he received access to the nomination portal and uploaded candidates, was not genuine. It also stated that the claim of accessing the portal was false.
The party argued that the matter had gone beyond internal political disagreements because it involved what it described as an attempt to deceive Nigerians with false information. It maintained that claiming access to INEC’s restricted nomination platform without legal authority was a serious issue that required criminal investigation.
The ADC urged the electoral commission and relevant security agencies to identify everyone connected to the alleged false claim and ensure that those responsible face prosecution in line with the law. The party said such actions should not be ignored because they could affect public trust in the country’s electoral process.
The opposition party also referred to earlier allegations made by the media office of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, which claimed that INEC granted Gombe access to the nomination portal. INEC later rejected the allegation, insisting that it never issued any access code to Gombe.
A senior INEC official had also confirmed that only the David Mark-led leadership is recognised by the commission and remains the only group authorised to submit candidates through the official nomination portal for the 2027 elections.