By Samuel Akpan

The African Democratic Congress (ADC), led by David Mark, has called for the prosecution of Nafiu Bala over his claim that he gained access to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) nomination portal.

On Saturday, Bala, a factional chairman of the party, said he uploaded the names of his camp’s presidential, vice-presidential, and national assembly candidates for the 2027 elections to the commission’s nomination portal.

On Monday, sources within the electoral umpire told TheCable that the commission does not issue candidate nomination portal access codes to a faction of a political party it does not recognise.

The Mark-led ADC is the faction recognised by INEC.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, Bolaji Abdullahi, national publicity secretary of the Mark-led ADC, described Bala’s claim as an attempt to mislead the public and undermine confidence in the electoral process.

“To publicly claim that one has gained access to INEC’s restricted nomination platform and exercised powers reserved for duly recognised party officials is a grave matter that deserves the immediate attention of law enforcement agencies,” the statement reads.

“As a responsible party, the ADC therefore calls on INEC to take all the necessary steps to ensure that Mr Nafiu Bala and anyone else involved in originating or promoting this falsehood are investigated and prosecuted in accordance with the law.”

Abdullahi said false claims involving critical national institutions could erode public confidence in democratic processes.

He described Bala’s action as a “direct challenge” to INEC’s institutional integrity, noting that the commission’s handling of the matter would demonstrate how seriously public institutions defend their credibility.

“If individuals can falsely claim access to the commission’s secured systems, generate widespread public anxiety and simply move on when the claim is disproved, a dangerous precedent would have been established,” he said.

“Others may be tempted to deploy similar falsehoods in the future to create confusion, inflame political passions or undermine confidence in the electoral process. The public is watching.”

Abdullahi said the party remains committed to democratic politics, respect for institutions and peaceful political competition.

The ADC spokesperson asked relevant security agencies to act decisively to prevent deliberate falsehoods from becoming an “accepted feature” of Nigeria’s democratic process.

Source: TheCable