Mr Akpanudoedehe, the governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Akwa Ibom State, in a video posted on Facebook on Thursday, alleged that unnamed government agents and some party executives are plotting to replace candidates who emerged from the concluded party primaries.
He said the plan is to substitute the names already submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) before the commission releases the final candidate list. The ADC candidate, however, provided no evidence and declined to name the officials allegedly involved.
According to him, “intelligence available” shows that some ADC executives at the ward, local government and state levels are holding secret meetings with government agents. “I have intelligence that some members of the party who are privileged to be part of our executives at the ward, local government, and state levels are in secret meetings with government agents,” he said in the video.
Alleged plot to demand PVCs and promise automatic tickets
Mr Akpanudoedehe further alleged that the officials are asking party members to submit front and back photocopies of their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), with promises that they would be made the party’s candidates for the House of Assembly and House of Representatives. This is despite the fact that the primaries have been concluded and the party has already forwarded its list to INEC.
He claimed that those behind the scheme boast of having “insiders” within INEC and assure prospective candidates that their names would appear in the final list when the electoral umpire publishes it. They also claim they will provide lawyers to handle any legal challenges arising from the substitution process.
Opposition must not be about cashing out
The ADC candidate urged party members to resist promises of automatic candidacy or financial inducements, warning that such moves are designed to weaken the opposition. He said the APC-led government in Akwa Ibom State has been unsettled by the emergence of a credible alternative.
“The APC government in Akwa Ibom State was sleeping until a viable opposition emerged. Now they are rushing to put together a legacy, which is too late for them,” he said. He added: “Opposition is not to cash out but to provide an alternative government.”
INEC says candidate substitution is party affair
Responding to the allegations, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Akwa Ibom State, Onuoha Anugbum, told PREMIUM TIMES that INEC has no constitutional power to substitute candidates for political parties. “The issue of primary is a party affair. It is only the party that can substitute. INEC does not have the power to substitute candidates for political parties,” Mr Anugbum said on Thursday.
He explained that while political parties may substitute candidates within the period allowed by law, such decisions rest solely with the party. “The political parties will submit candidates to INEC, which will accept their substitution, and there is a time for substitution. It is only the party that can substitute and not INEC, so if you want further verification, go to the party’s national body,” he added.
INEC is yet to publish the final list of candidates for the forthcoming general elections, leaving room for speculation and anxiety among political actors.
Unanswered questions
PREMIUM TIMES contacted Mr Akpanudoedehe to clarify which House of Assembly and House of Representatives constituencies were allegedly affected, whether he had reported the matter to the ADC National Working Committee or INEC, and what evidence he possessed that there was an attempt to substitute candidates after submission. He had yet to respond as of the time of filing this report.
The ADC National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, also did not respond to telephone calls and a text message seeking the party’s reaction. The allegations, if true, would represent a serious breach of internal party democracy, but so far they remain unverified.
