ADC Demands Prosecution of Nafiu Bala Over Forged INEC Claims

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) have dismissed claims by factional leader Nafiu Bala Gombe that his group obtained access codes to upload candidates for the 2027 general election. Following Gombe's July 11 assertion that he had successfully uploaded presidential and National Assembly candidates, INEC Director of Voter Education and Publicity Victoria Eta-Messi declared the claims untrue and confirmed that the supporting documents circulated by Gombe were forged.

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and his media office initially accused INEC of partisanship, alleging that granting Gombe access was part of an effort to weaken opposition parties to favor President Bola Tinubu. However, the ADC leadership, recognized by INEC under National Chairman David Mark, countered that Atiku Abubakar and Rotimi Amaechi are the party's actual presidential and vice-presidential candidates and had already been uploaded.

The ADC has since called for the criminal investigation and prosecution of Gombe, describing his actions as a grave attempt to mislead the public. In response, Gombe issued a seven-day ultimatum to Atiku Abubakar, demanding a public apology and asserting that Atiku has never been the party's presidential candidate. Gombe further urged INEC to remove the David Mark-led committee from its portal, citing a court judgment that he claims invalidates their recognition.