By Isaac Mission
The lawmaker representing Dunukofia State Constituency in the Anambra State House of Assembly, Francis Chuks Azotani, has asked the Independent National Electoral Commission to remove his name from the list of candidates published under the Nigeria Democratic Congress for the 2027 election.
Azotani, who chairs the House Committee on Ethics and Privileges, said he was surprised to find his name listed as the NDC candidate for the constituency, insisting that he remains a member of the All Progressives Grand Alliance.
In a petition addressed to the INEC Chairman in Abuja, the lawmaker described the development as an error and called on the electoral commission to immediately correct its records and withdraw his name from the NDC list.
Azotani maintained that he had neither left APGA nor expressed an intention to contest the 2027 election on the platform of another political party.
He said he was not seeking any elective position in the 2027 general election under the NDC or any other party.
The lawmaker's complaint comes amid an ongoing disagreement between the NDC and INEC over the publication of candidates for the 2027 State Houses of Assembly elections.
The NDC had previously accused the electoral commission of publishing names that were allegedly different from candidates submitted by the party after its primaries and appeal process.
The party's National Chairman, Senator Moses Cleopas Zuwoghe, alleged on August 30 that the issue affected several constituencies in Anambra State, including Dunukofia, the constituency represented by Azotani.
According to the party, 10 individuals were listed as NDC candidates in different Anambra constituencies despite allegedly not being authorised or nominated by its leadership.
Azotani was among the names identified by the party.
Zuwoghe claimed that the NDC had completed its primary elections and appeal process before producing a final list that was approved by relevant party stakeholders and submitted through the appropriate channel.
He alleged that nine names were subsequently left in a “Pending” category on the INEC platform, while details of other individuals were eventually published as candidates.
The party further claimed that affected individuals submitted Form EC-9 directly to the commission, resulting in their names being uploaded and published.
INEC, however, denied having the power to nominate candidates for political parties.
The commission, through the Chief Press Secretary and Media Adviser to the INEC Chairman, Adedayo Oketola, said political parties were solely responsible for selecting and submitting their candidates in line with the Constitution, Electoral Act 2026 and applicable guidelines.
Oketola explained that parties submit candidates through the commission's electronic nomination portal using credentials issued by INEC, adding that activities carried out on the platform are electronically recorded.
He said the system maintains an audit trail that can be used to determine how and by whom candidate information was entered or modified.
INEC consequently challenged the NDC to provide evidence identifying any commission officials allegedly responsible for submitting or introducing unauthorised candidates.
The commission also said allegations concerning the collection and submission of Form EC-9 could be examined through its electronic and documentary records.
While acknowledging INEC's responsibility to monitor political party primaries, Oketola stressed that such monitoring does not give the commission authority to select candidates on behalf of political parties.
