The crisis rocking the Plateau State chapter of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has deepened following the emergence of parallel governorship candidates, with the national leadership yet to publicly clarify the status of the rival claims.

The development followed a September 15, 2026 substitution governorship primary organised by the Plateau State chairman of the party, Solomon Ndam Yakubu, with the participation of chairmen from seven of the state’s 17 local government areas.

The exercise produced Alfred Dapal Damiyal, who had earlier contested the governorship primary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state.

However, a separate substitution primary conducted under the supervision of the NDC National Working Committee (NWC) produced Da Jonathan Sunday Akuns as the party’s governorship candidate.

The chairman of the primary election committee, Oluwole Oladapo, who was delegated by the NWC, announced Akuns as the winner of the exercise attended by stakeholders from 10 local government areas, three senatorial district chairmen and the deputy chairman of the state chapter.

The emergence of the two candidates has created uncertainty within the party ahead of the 2027 general elections, particularly among candidates contesting other elective positions under the NDC platform.

Akuns, acting on the directive of the NWC, subsequently convened a meeting of all NDC candidates in the state to harmonise the selection of polling unit agents ahead of the elections.

However, the candidates reportedly declined to attend the meeting, saying they did not want their participation to be interpreted as taking sides with either of the two governorship candidates.

According to an invitation letter seen by The Guardian, the meeting, scheduled to hold at Kwang, near the COCIN Church, was also intended to provide an opportunity for NDC candidates to interact, build stronger working relationships and discuss the collective direction of the campaign ahead of the elections.

The development came against the backdrop of a directive by the national leadership of the party to its structures across the country to commence preparations for the 2027 elections.

The NDC National Publicity Secretary, Osa Director, had said the party was in consultation with relevant stakeholders towards the establishment and inauguration of its Presidential Campaign Council.

Director also said the party leadership, in line with the Electoral Act 2026, had directed all state and local government chairmen to immediately convene meetings with candidates and relevant stakeholders in their respective states to collate and harmonise lists of party agents for the forthcoming elections.

However, there are allegations within the Plateau chapter that the state chairman, rather than implement the programme outlined by the NWC, backed a separate legal challenge against the NWC-supervised governorship primary.

A suit filed by Hon. Umar Ashmar Jibrin at the Federal High Court, Jos, is seeking, among other reliefs, recognition of the governorship substitution primary that produced Damiyal.

The five defendants named in the originating summons are the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the NDC, the NWC of the NDC, the Plateau State Executive Committee of the party and Da Jonathan Sunday Akuns.

The case had not been assigned to a presiding judge as of the time of filing this report.

The continued absence of a clear public position from the national leadership has left the Plateau chapter with competing claims over its governorship ticket, while the party’s candidates face uncertainty over which structure to work with ahead of the 2027 elections.