Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of aiding what he described as President Bola Tinubu’s alleged efforts to weaken opposition parties ahead of the 2027 general elections.
In a statement issued by the Atiku Media Office, the former presidential candidate alleged that INEC unlawfully granted access to its candidate nomination portal to Nafiu Bala Gombe, whom he described as a “pretender” to the chairmanship of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
The statement maintained that Senator David Mark is the recognised National Chairman of the party, insisting that any list of candidates uploaded by Gombe has no legal standing.
“By granting access code to Bala Gombe, the electoral umpire is once again manifesting its partisanship,” the statement alleged.
The Atiku Media Office further accused INEC of fuelling unnecessary crises within opposition parties, claiming the commission’s actions were aimed at weakening the ADC ahead of the 2027 elections.
It argued that, under the Constitution and the Electoral Act, only candidates submitted by the David Mark-led leadership of the party are valid.
“The INEC granting of access code to Nafiu Bala Gombe is unconstitutional and unlawful. The only submitted candidates known to the law are those of David Mark. Any parallel submission is null and void,” the statement added.
The media office also urged the INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, to refrain from actions it said could undermine the opposition and compromise the integrity of the electoral process.
