Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has officially distanced itself from a list of purported candidates for elections in Imo, Abia and Anambra States that has been circulating on social media, describing the documents as fake, misleading, and unauthorised. In a statement issued on Friday, June 19, 2026, the party’s National Secretary, Barrister Ikenna Enekweizu, urged members of the public and party faithful to disregard the lists, insisting that they did not originate from the party’s national headquarters.
The NDC said it had already submitted the authentic list of candidates who would fly the party’s flag in the affected states to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) through the channels prescribed by the Electoral Act. According to the party, only the names submitted to the electoral commission should be regarded as valid. “The general public, especially members of the NDC in Imo, Abia, Anambra and other affected states, are hereby urged to disregard the lists of candidates widely circulating on social media as the authentic lists of our party’s candidates from the aforementioned states,” the statement read in part. “The said lists are fake and did not emanate from the party headquarters.”
Enekweizu alleged that the documents were being circulated by “mischief makers” seeking to create confusion and distract the party from its activities. He disclosed that the NDC had commenced investigations to identify the source of the purported lists and determine how the information was circulated. “Such lists in circulation are being peddled by mischief makers and those who do not wish the party well. However, the party is investigating the sources of such fabrications and leakages as they are desperate attempts to cause ill will and distractions within the party,” he said.
The party further reassured its members of its commitment to internal cohesion and its broader objective of providing an alternative political platform for Nigerians. “This is to reassure our members that the NDC is robustly committed to building a party that would serve as a vehicle to liberate Nigeria from its present parlous state with the cooperation of everyone,” the statement added.
The development comes amid growing internal tensions within the NDC. On Thursday, June 18, the party announced that it had exempted its presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and his running mate, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, from its newly introduced anti-defection oath, even as it insisted that all governorship, National Assembly and state assembly candidates must sign the loyalty pledge or risk losing their seats if they defect after winning elections. The policy is aimed at preventing elected officials from using the party as a stepping stone before defecting to rival platforms.
Meanwhile, the NDC has also been embroiled in internal disputes over candidate selection in several states. In Enugu State, a coalition of primary election aspirants formally rejected the party’s nomination process, alleging widespread irregularities, excessive financial exploitation of aspirants, and the imposition of candidates by a small clique of party leaders. In Imo State, a senatorial aspirant for Imo North, Isaac Nwachukwu, filed a suit before a Federal High Court in Owerri, challenging what he described as the illegal substitution of his name as the party’s consensus candidate for the 2027 general election, alleging that he paid ₦25 million to the party for nomination and support.
The NDC has also faced a legal challenge from the All Democratic Alliance (ADA), whose chieftain sued INEC over the registration of the NDC as a political party, alleging that the party bypassed mandatory steps in the registration process. The legal challenge, filed in June 2026, is pending before the Federal High Court in Abuja. As the 2027 elections approach, the NDC’s ability to manage internal disputes and maintain a united front will be critical to its electoral prospects. The party has reassured its members that it remains united and focused on its political objectives despite the development.
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