The Independent National Electoral Commission has refuted claims that it provided the Nafiu Gombe faction of the African Democratic Congress with access credentials for its candidate submission portal. The commission maintained that only the leadership faction headed by Senator David Mark was authorized to use the system.
Mallam Mohammed Kudu Haruna, an official representing the commission, clarified that the Mark-led faction had already utilized its access to submit information for over 400 candidates for the 2027 general elections before a recent appellate court ruling affected their status. Haruna emphasized that the agency’s records regarding this authorization are clear.
The controversy emerged after Nafiu Gombe publicly stated that his group had successfully submitted presidential and parliamentary candidate lists. The David Mark faction subsequently alleged that Gombe utilized fraudulent documentation to bypass official protocols, calling for a formal investigation into the matter.
Atiku Abubakar, the party’s presidential candidate, challenged the commission’s handling of the situation. He accused the electoral body of bias for allegedly allowing the Gombe faction to participate in the submission process despite previous legal validations favoring the Senator Mark-led committee.
