Peter Obi’s visit: Plateau NDC moves to close ranks behind governorship candidate

The Plateau state chapter of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has begun moves to reconcile its factions and rally support for its governorship candidate, Da Jonathan Sunday Akuns, amid an ongoing legal dispute over the party’s ticket ahead of the February 2027 governorship election.

The reconciliation effort comes as the party prepares for the planned visit of its presidential candidate, Peter Obi, with its leaders seeking to present a united front ahead of the campaign.

The crisis followed disagreements over the party’s governorship nomination, with state chairman Solomon Yakubu Ndam, reportedly listed as a placeholder on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) platform, accused of organising a parallel substitution primary.

Another claimant to the ticket, Alfred Dapal, also instituted a suit against the party, INEC and Akuns, seeking recognition as the NDC’s governorship candidate in Plateau State.

At a recent sitting of the Federal High Court in Jos, the NDC and Akuns, through their counsel, opposed the plaintiff’s attempt to withdraw the suit, arguing that the legal process should not be abandoned without addressing the consequences of the action.

Lawson Mafuyai, the party’s deputy state chairman, represented the NDC, while its state legal adviser, L. C. Dabit, represented the State Working Committee. Hon. Jonathan Pwajok represented Akuns.

Although, the matter was scheduled for mention, the plaintiff sought to withdraw the case following a preliminary objection filed by Barrister Maton on behalf of the NDC and Akuns.

Maton opposed the proposed withdrawal, arguing that the court should not be treated as a forum where litigants could institute proceedings, make allegations against others, expose them to public ridicule and reputational damage, and subsequently abandon the cases when legal challenges emerged.

He maintained that no genuine attempt at settlement had been made and argued that any settlement discussion should take account of the consequences of the litigation.

According to him, the defendants’ position included a demand for ₦5 billion in general damages and ₦50 million in legal fees, among other claims.

In the separate case involving Dapal, the defence team said it had prepared its response to the claims and was ready to proceed. 

However, counsel to INEC sought an adjournment to enable the commission to respond adequately to the processes served on it and present its position. The court subsequently adjourned the matter.

Counsel to the respondents also argued that recent Supreme Court pronouncements and statutory requirements governing party membership and nomination raised questions about Dapal’s eligibility to claim the ticket.

The defence contended that issues relating to party membership, inclusion in the appropriate membership register and compliance with nomination procedures required judicial consideration, particularly in view of allegations that Dapal was a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and participated in its primaries at the material time.

Meanwhile, NDC leaders in Plateau state are making efforts to resolve the internal disagreement ahead of Obi’s planned visit.

In a message to party members, Ndam urged them to work together with the party’s candidates for the State House of Assembly, House of Representatives and Senate to mobilise support for the visit.

Earlier, the chairman of the Akuns/Pwajok Restoration and Revival Campaign Organisation, Hon. Manasseh Watyll, said the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) had been briefed on developments within the Plateau chapter.

Watyll, who accompanied Maton to Abuja, said the national leadership had been informed of the circumstances surrounding the dispute and the position of the state’s governorship candidate.

He said Maton briefed the NWC on the legal proceedings, including the attempt by the claimant’s lawyers to withdraw the case and the defence’s position on the proposed settlement.

Watyll also said Maton presented documents allegedly submitted by Dapal in support of his claim to the governorship ticket. These reportedly included a letter relating to the party’s May primaries, receipts for ₦10 million allegedly paid into the party’s account in June, expression-of-interest and nomination forms, an INEC substitution form bearing the photographs and details of Dapal and Ndam, a membership card and a copy of the NDC constitution.

According to Watyll, Maton questioned the validity of the documents, arguing that they did not bear the endorsement of the party’s national chairman or national secretary and that the authenticity of the membership card was questionable.

He further disclosed that Maton had applied to the court to set aside an earlier ruling, alleging that the order was obtained by fraud. The application and the allegation remain matters for judicial determination.

Watyll said the defence had also filed a preliminary objection challenging Dapal’s legal standing to institute the action, arguing that the court should first determine whether he had fulfilled the party’s membership and nomination requirements before considering the substantive claims.

He added that the NWC provided further details about the events leading to the controversy during its meeting with the legal team.

According to Watyll, the national officers said Ndam had previously introduced Dapal and at least four other individuals to the party’s national leadership as prospective candidates.

He said the understanding at the time, according to the account given by the national officers, was that the ₦10 million paid was a contribution to the party in anticipation of Dapal subsequently joining the NDC.

Watyll further quoted the party officials as saying that a review of the party’s records had not established that Dapal completed the process of joining the NDC.

He said the national leadership also reported that it could not find an official party receipt confirming that the ₦10 million was paid for an expression-of-interest form, verifiable records showing the purchase of a nomination form, or evidence that the party’s screening committee issued the forms on which Dapal was relying.

According to him, the screening committee neither received nor screened Dapal as a governorship aspirant.

Watyll said the NWC maintained that the party’s records did not establish that Dapal had become a recognised member, completed the nomination process or emerged as an NDC aspirant or candidate.

He added that the national leadership had urged the legal team to continue addressing the dispute through the appropriate legal channels.