The battle for the 2027 elections took an unexpected turn yesterday as the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of publishing names of candidates the party said it neither nominated nor submitted for the polls.

The opposition party alleged that the commission had replaced some of its duly nominated candidates with “unknown” names, raising fresh questions over the integrity of the nomination and candidate-upload process barely months to the 2027 general elections.

The allegation, which is particularly contentious in Anambra State — the home state of the NDC’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi — followed INEC’s publication of the list of candidates for the State Houses of Assembly elections.

NDC national chairman, Senator Moses Cleopas, in a statement he personally signed on Sunday, described the publication as a deliberate attempt to sabotage the party ahead of the elections and create disaffection among its supporters.

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