THE frictions in Plateau State chapter of Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) assumed a dangerous dimension, Tuesday, when the state chairman, Solomon Ndam Yakubu, rebuffed the national delegation of the party and organised a parallel substitution primary.

   When contacted, the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Osa Director, asserted that the NWC of the NDC is only concerned about primaries authorized and organized by it, stressing that primaries conducted by state chapters are invalid and illegal, since according to him, there are plethora of decided cases to buttress that fact.

   He explained that the final decision on the Plateau State gubernatorial candidate would be taken by the NWC after receiving reports from the various states where substitution polls held.

   Although the NPS, was silent on what disciplinary measures that could be taken against the Plateau State chairman of NDC, feelers from the headquarters hinted that the state working committee could be dissolve for the recalcitrant behaviour towards the national leadership.

    Matters came to a head when the National Auditor of the party, Oluwole Adedapo, who was delegated by the NDC National Working Committee, to conduct the scheduled make-up primary, arrived Jos on Monday September 14, 2026.

   Adedapo had informed NDC leaders in the state during his visit to the state secretariat that he was delegated by the national leaders of the party to oversee the governorship primary for the sake of formalizing the process of replacing Ndam, whose name was earlier uploaded by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as a placeholder.

    After a series of inhouse efforts, the NDC resolved to regularise the candidacy of Da Jonathan Sunday Akuns, who was nominated unopposed in the May 29, 2026 primary before Ndam and the National Vice Chairman for North Central zone, Barnabas Ejisi, strove to upturn his emergence.

   But, on Tuesday, when the stakeholders were mobilized for the repeat governorship primary, Ndam stoutly opposed the NWC delegation, saying that the state chapter did not approve of what Adedapo came to do in Plateau State.

   When Adedapo reminded Ndam that he was sent from the headquarters, the state chairman shouted him down with unprintable words, asking him to ‘go to hell with the national leader.’

   Sulking and insisting that his candidate, Alfred Ali Dapal, who did not participate in the May 29 primary, must take part in the substitution primary despite not purchasing the expression of interest and nomination forms, Ndam broke away with chairmen of seven local government areas to hold a parallel exercise, leaving Adedapo with 10 LGAs, chairmen of three Senatorial zones and state deputy chairman.

   As at the time of filing this report, it is not clear from where Ndam is drawing his strength to challenge the directives of NDC national leadership, even as his partner in rebellion, Ejisi, was sent to Katsina by the NWC to oversee the repeat primary in that state.