ADC demands Nafiu Gombe's prosecution over fake INEC claim

The African Democratic Congress has asked for the investigation and prosecution of its factional leader, Nafiu Gombe. This comes after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said Gombe's claim that he uploaded the party’s candidates for the 2027 general election through its nomination portal was false.

The party made this call in a statement on Tuesday from its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi. INEC clarified that it did not give Bala access codes to its restricted nomination portal. It also stated that only the David Mark-led National Executive Committee is recognized by them.

This latest news adds to the ongoing leadership crisis in the ADC. The crisis has seen the David Mark-led group clash with a rival faction headed by Bala.

The disagreement has led to several court cases, protests, and arguments about who truly leads the party as they prepare for the 2027 general election.

After INEC’s statement, the ADC welcomed their position. The party accused Bala of trying to mislead Nigerians. They said the issue has gone beyond political fights and is now about a possible attempt to deceive the public.

The statement included, "The African Democratic Congress (ADC) welcomes the prompt clarification by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). This confirmation clearly shows that the document circulated by Mr. Nafiu Bala, claiming he had obtained the Commission’s access code and uploaded candidates for the ADC for the 2027 general election, was forged, and that the claim itself was entirely false."

The ADC added, "The issue before us is no longer simply about the continuous false statements issued by Nafiu Bala Gombe at the behest of his sponsors. It is about the clear attempt to mislead the Nigerian public."

They argued that making false claims about accessing INEC’s restricted nomination portal is a serious matter that should be looked into by security agencies.

The opposition party then urged INEC to make sure that anyone involved in the false claim is investigated and prosecuted.

"To claim publicly that one has accessed INEC’s restricted nomination platform and acted on behalf of recognized party officials is a serious matter. It deserves the immediate attention of law enforcement agencies."

The ADC said, "As a responsible party, we call on INEC to take the necessary steps to ensure that Mr Nafiu Bala and anyone else involved in spreading this falsehood are investigated and prosecuted according to the law."

PUNCH Online had earlier reported that Atiku Abubakar’s Media Office accused INEC of granting Bala access to the nomination portal, a claim the electoral body denied.

In an exclusive interview with PUNCH Online on Monday, a senior INEC official said they did not issue any access code to Bala. They stressed that only the David Mark-led leadership is recognized by the commission and allowed to access the nomination portal.