The Northern Obidient Youth Assembly, NOYA, has accused the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, of systematically undermining Nigeria’s democratic process through what it describes as a “cynical and corrupt” manipulation of candidate lists under the guise of court compliance.
In a statement issued by its Coordinator, Abdullahi Suleiman, NOYA alleged that a feature on INEC’s website titled “Amended List of Candidates Pursuant to Court Order” has become a tool for entrenched manipulation rather than a demonstration of transparency.
Suleiman claimed that INEC, rather than acting as a neutral electoral umpire, has been compromised by political interference and internal corruption.
“Lawfully nominated candidates are either omitted or replaced on party lists in violation of internal party democracy, only to be reinstated later by court rulings,” he said.
According to him, this pattern is not due to administrative error but deliberate manipulation. “These are politically influenced moves that force candidates into costly and time-consuming legal battles just to reclaim their rightful positions,” he said.