From Mustapha Adamu, Kano
The Kano State chapter of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to investigate alleged irregularities in monitoring reports on the party’s primary elections in the state.
The party’s call followed allegations that an INEC official, Mrs Hauwa Buhari, Head of the Department of Election and Party Monitoring, issued multiple inconsistent and undated reports on the NDC primary elections in Kano.
The allegations were contained in a statement dated October 19 and signed by Magaji Mato Ibrahim, SAN, and four other lawyers representing the party’s Kano State chapter.
The statement was issued in response to a public statement released on October 17 by Bola Aidi, SAN & Co., solicitors to five individuals claiming to be candidates of the NDC in Kano.
Members of the Kwankwasiyya Movement within the NDC had earlier submitted a petition to INEC’s headquarters in Kano, accusing Buhari of compromising the original records of the party’s primary elections.
The solicitors to the five individuals subsequently challenged the petition, questioning the authority behind it and describing it as an attempt at political intimidation.
However, the NDC lawyers maintained that the petition was submitted on the instructions of the party’s Kano State chapter, arguing that the chapter had the right to raise concerns about the integrity of official records relating to its primary elections.
They also rejected claims that the party’s leadership was unaware of the petition, describing such assertions as unsupported by documentary evidence.
According to the lawyers, the central issue was the alleged existence of multiple signed versions of an INEC monitoring report containing materially different information.
They alleged that some versions were undated, listed individuals who were neither screened nor cleared by the party, and excluded candidates whose names appeared on Form EC9D signed by the party’s National Chairman and National Secretary, as well as on the list submitted to INEC.
The lawyers further claimed that the INEC official had previously acknowledged gaps in the reports and that a corrected version was subsequently forwarded to the commission’s headquarters without formal communication or implementation.
They argued that the discrepancies warranted an internal investigation, irrespective of the outcome of ongoing court proceedings.
“The existence of inconsistent official records signed by the same officer is a matter that the Commission is duty-bound to resolve in the interest of the integrity of its own processes,” the lawyers said.
NDC Raises Concerns Over Court Cases
The party’s lawyers also questioned the circumstances surrounding suits filed at the Federal High Court by the five individuals claiming NDC candidacy.
They alleged that the cases were initiated and prosecuted without notifying the candidates they described as duly nominated by the party until recently.
According to the lawyers, steps had been taken to establish the status of the proceedings and pursue appropriate legal measures to protect the affected candidates’ nominations.
They argued that the failure to join parties whose interests could be directly affected raised concerns about compliance with the principles of fair hearing.
The lawyers maintained that all relevant parties should be joined in pre-election cases from the outset to ensure that their interests are adequately represented.
They further argued that the party’s screening and clearance records, alongside Form EC9D, showed that the five individuals represented by Bola Aidi, SAN & Co. had not been screened or cleared for the constituencies in question.
“A monitoring report, even if admitted to have been made by INEC, cannot create a candidacy where the party’s own preconditions for participation were not met,” the lawyers argued.
They also contended that the report could not override the party’s official submissions to INEC under Section 29 of the Electoral Act, 2026.
NDC Appeals to INEC Chairman
The NDC lawyers called on INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, to order an immediate investigation into the circumstances surrounding the alleged issuance of multiple inconsistent and undated monitoring reports by Buhari.
They urged the commission to withdraw or disown any defective versions and issue a single, properly dated and authenticated report reflecting the candidates nominated by the party and submitted to the commission.
The lawyers also called for appropriate administrative or disciplinary action if the investigation established wrongdoing.
They said the credibility and independence of INEC depended partly on the accuracy and consistency of its official records and its willingness to address legitimate complaints.
The NDC Kano State chapter, according to the statement, remained committed to the rule of law and the integrity of the electoral process.
The lawyers added that the candidates they described as authentic nominees would pursue all available legal remedies, including pending appeals, to protect their nominations.
They urged the parties involved to allow INEC to address the alleged administrative discrepancies while the Court of Appeal determines the pending appeals on the evidence and applicable law.
The allegations against the INEC official remain claims by the NDC lawyers and have not been independently established in the information provided. INEC’s response was not included in the statement.
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