The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, says it will recognise only candidates submitted by the Senator David Mark-led leadership of the African Democratic Congress ahead of the 2027 general elections.

INEC National Commissioner, Mohammed Haruna, said the commission granted the Mark-led faction access to its nomination portal following a Supreme Court judgment affirming its leadership.

According to him, the faction has submitted candidates for 471 elective positions, including the presidential, senatorial and House of Representatives elections.

Haruna added that the rival faction has no legal basis to submit candidates, noting that its appeal for recognition had failed.

Meanwhile, the ADC has called for the investigation and prosecution of its factional leader, Nafiu Bala, over claims that he uploaded the party’s candidates through INEC’s nomination portal.

The party welcomed INEC’s clarification that only the Mark-led National Executive Committee was granted access to the restricted portal and described Bala’s claims as false.

INEC also said it would study the Certified True Copy of the recent Court of Appeal judgment on the ADC leadership dispute before taking any further position.

The electoral commission maintained that its recognition of the Mark-led leadership and the candidates already submitted remains based on the earlier Supreme Court judgment.