Headline:

By Staff Reporter

The leadership of the Action Alliance (AA) has accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of unlawfully excluding its presidential and other candidates from the purported list of candidates for the 2027 General Elections, describing the move as a threat to democracy and the rule of law.

In a statement issued on Sunday, the party’s National Leadership under its National Chairman, Chief Barrister Kenneth Udeze, condemned what it called the deliberate omission of candidates nominated by the party’s National Executive Committee despite existing Court of Appeal judgments affirming the legitimacy of the Udeze-led leadership.

The party argued that INEC’s action amounted to a disregard for judicial pronouncements and a violation of the principles governing Nigeria’s electoral process.

According to the statement, the electoral body was fully aware of appellate court decisions affirming the leadership of Chief Udeze and should therefore have recognized candidates nominated by the party under his leadership.

The Action Alliance maintained that by allegedly ignoring candidates produced through its primaries, INEC had acted contrary to the provisions of the Electoral Act 2022, which requires the commission to publish the names of candidates duly nominated by political parties.

The party further stated that its candidates emerged through lawful primary elections conducted within the timelines stipulated by law and in compliance with all relevant electoral guidelines.

Describing the development as a dangerous precedent, the party warned that the alleged exclusion undermines internal party democracy and could erode public confidence in Nigeria’s electoral system if not promptly addressed.

The Action Alliance called on INEC to immediately review the publication and replace it with a list that accurately reflects candidates nominated by the party under the leadership of Chief Kenneth Udeze.

The party issued a 48-hour ultimatum to the electoral commission to correct the alleged anomaly, warning that failure to do so would compel it to pursue all available legal options, including contempt proceedings, to protect the interests of its candidates and supporters.

It also appealed to civil society organisations, the media, pro-democracy groups, and the international community to closely monitor the situation, insisting that adherence to court judgments and electoral laws remains essential to the credibility of Nigeria’s democratic process.