2027: INEC can’t decide candidates for political parties – Sambo
INEC Lacks Authority to Dictate Political Candidates, Says Arise News Director
Sumner Sambo, Director of News and Political Editor at Arise News, asserted that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) does not have the power to dictate candidates for political parties. Sambo made his remarks during an interview on Arise Television’s “Prime Time” on Thursday.
His comments came in response to discussions about the list of candidates submitted by various political parties in preparation for the upcoming 2027 general elections.
“INEC cannot tell a political party who is or ought to be its candidate,” Sambo stated. He elaborated that INEC’s role is to act as a witness to the candidate selection process, noting that they should document the proceedings. Should disputes arise, the commission can present this documentation in court.
Sambo emphasized that if the candidate selection process does not end up in court, INEC is obligated to accept the candidate submitted by the political party. “They must wait for any individual contesting the results to seek legal recourse,” he added.