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.

Furthermore, he alleged that this practice has become a cash-flow scheme within the Commission. Rogue elements within INEC, he claimed, are allegedly receiving tens of millions of naira in bribes to alter candidate lists with the full expectation that the judiciary will later correct the fraud. By then, he noted, the political damage is often irreversible.

“The corrected names often appear so late that meaningful participation in elections becomes nearly impossible. It is a profit-driven racket at the expense of democracy”, Suleiman stated.

He, however, warned that the judiciary has effectively become an emergency repair service for a system that INEC intentionally breaks, creating a two-tier system of justice, one for the connected and wealthy, and another for candidates unable to afford prolonged legal battles.

NOYA called for immediate action to address what it described as state-enabled electoral sabotage. The group urged the National Assembly to launch a full inquiry into the repeated judicial reversals, suggesting forensic audits to trace financial trails behind list alterations.

They also demanded criminal investigations into the roles of INEC officials, saying the leadership must be held accountable for any complicity.

“If this practice continues unchecked, Nigerian elections will remain a charade, where backroom deals override ballots, and courtrooms become the new battleground for electoral mandates,” Suleiman warned.

“The Nigerian people deserve better. Democracy cannot survive when its referees are on the payroll of the players,” he added.