Opposition parties are guilty of some of the same irregularities they accuse the Independent National Electoral Commission of committing, according to chieftain of the Nigerian Democratic Congress, Asukewe Ikoawaji.
Speaking during an interview with ARISE News on Monday, Ikoawaji said while INEC must be held accountable for any electoral infractions, political parties must also take responsibility for their internal processes and comply with the law.
He was reacting to allegations by the NDC that INEC had removed its nominated candidates for the 2027 State Assembly elections and replaced them with other individuals, particularly in constituencies in Anambra State.
INEC has denied the allegations, maintaining that it has no power to substitute candidates submitted by political parties.
Ikoawaji stated that opposition parties cannot accuse INEC of unfairness while failing to comply with the Constitution, Electoral Act, INEC guidelines and their own party constitutions.
“The parties are also guilty of what they are accusing INEC.”
He said political parties are expected to conduct their primaries in accordance with established rules and should not select candidates who did not emerge through the prescribed process.
“No political party, by law, has a right to pick candidates that didn’t go through the process.”
Ikoawaji said parties that believe they have been unfairly treated by INEC should use the courts and other legal mechanisms available to challenge the alleged irregularities.
He also advised candidates whose names may have been unlawfully substituted to seek legal redress and personally defend their mandates rather than relying entirely on their political parties.
“It’s not enough to talk. A time has come Nigeria should be able to know whether most of these people are defending them or not.”
The NDC chieftain maintained that opposition parties must strengthen their internal processes if they want to effectively challenge alleged misconduct by the electoral commission.
He said political parties should not register merely for the purpose of participating in elections but must operate in accordance with their constitutions and the country’s electoral laws.
“You don’t register a political party for the purpose of registering a political party, I’ve said it before.”
Ikoawaji also urged affected parties and candidates to act promptly, given the advanced stage of the electoral timetable.
He maintained that both political parties and INEC have a responsibility to ensure that Nigerians are not denied credible representation through irregularities in the candidate selection and electoral process.
Ojo Triumph
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