Ralphs Okey Nwosu, former chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), has accused officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of playing an active role in the processes that installed David Mark and Rauf Aregbesola as the party's new leadership. Speaking on Arise Television, Nwosu described the involvement of INEC in party affairs as unprecedented, citing his two decades of experience working with both INEC and party structures. "I have worked within party processes, party leadership, and INEC for almost twenty years, and INEC has never done something this scandalous," he said. Nwosu insisted that INEC officials were present during every stage of the procedures that led to the new leadership, asserting they not only observed but also guided the process. "All the processes that brought about David Mark and Aregbesola and the new leadership, INEC was there. INEC members were there; they witnessed all the processes," he stated. He added that INEC provided advice before any decisions were made, noting the electoral body's involvement was meant to ensure success for all parties involved.
Nwosu's admission that INEC officials not only oversaw but actively guided the ADC leadership transition exposes the electoral body's blurred lines between regulation and interference. His claim that INEC members were present at every stage—even offering preemptive guidance—raises concerns about the commission's neutrality in party affairs. If true, this erodes public trust in INEC's role as an impartial umpire. Without consequences, such revelations risk normalizing INEC's overreach in internal party matters.
