With the publication of the official list of candidates for the 2027 governorship position in the state, two candidates, Alfred Dapal and Jonathan Akuns, are claiming to be the authentic candidates of the party in the state.
Though the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) recognised and published the name of Akuns as the governorship candidate of the party, Dapal had obtained a court order restraining NDC from recognising Akuns as the candidate of the party. It also restrained Akuns from parading himself as the candidate of the party in the election.
Dapal had, in suit No FHC/J/CS/87/2026 filed before a Federal High Court against Akuns, INEC and NDC, obtained an interlocutory injunction restraining NDC from presenting Akuns as the candidate of the party in the election.
Justice S T Ishaya, who ruled on a motion ex parte filed by Dapal, restrained NDC, whether by its officers, agents, servants, privies or representatives, from substituting, replacing, withdrawing, displacing or otherwise removing Dapal as the candidate produced by the governorship primary election conducted on September 15.
Chairman of the party, Solomon Ndam, who gave a background to the suit in an interview with our correspondent in Jos, said that the committee sent from Abuja to conduct the election had connived with Akuns to conduct the exercise at a venue different from the party secretariat, which was the designated venue for the primary election.
He said that using his position as the chairman of the party and relying on Section 12 Subsection 8:3 of the party’s constitution, Dapal was declared the winner through a transparent process, monitored by officials of the party and INEC.
He said that prior to the election, Akuns was suspended by the party for anti-party activities and as such was ineligible to contest the primary election.
But Akuns told our correspondent that he was declared unopposed as the authentic candidate of the party.
He explained that following the suit filed by Dapal, he and his counsel had visited the national secretariat of the party in Abuja and explained all the circumstances of his emergence.
He said, “As counsel representing the New Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) in two cases before the Federal High Court, Jos, concerning my emergence as party’s unopposed gubernatorial candidate, Barr John Apollos Maton led a team to Abuja to brief the party’s National Leadership on the developments in court.
“The visit provided an opportunity to explain the cases in detail, present an update on processes received and filed, identify additional documents required for the defence, and discuss the way forward. I was privileged to accompany Barr Maton on the visit and participate in discussions with the National Leader and other national executives of the party.
“The national leadership was satisfied with all the explanations. So I don’t have to entertain any doubt about my eligibility for the election.”
Meanwhile, Chairman of the New Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) in Plateau State, Solomon Ndam, has expressed dismay over the recurring insecurity in the state. He said that the party will restore sanity to the state of insecurity in Plateau using the model used by Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State if the party wins the governorship election in 2027.
Ndam, who spoke to our correspondent in Jos, said that the present administration has failed the people of the state.
The chairman said that the party has the answer to the insecurity ravaging the state and called on the people to vote for the party in the 2027 election.
He said, “Our administration will provide the answer to the unanswered question about insecurity on the Plateau. We will answer the question why the All Progressives Congress, both at the state and national level, cannot protect the lives and property of the people since that is the primary function of government. Today in Plateau, we have a security problem. I know you will say it is not only Plateau, but in Plateau it has become an order of the day on a daily basis. Protection of lives and property can only be achieved through competence and you will agree that the present administration lacked the capacity and the will to protect the citizens.
“Plateau people have seen so far that for the past over three years now Gov Mutfwang has demonstrated failure because of his inability to tackle insecurity because he came with the ‘Time is Now’ mantra. He promised to do what others could not do, but as we speak security agencies and even the state security outfit, Operation Rainbow, has no operational vehicles. How do you want to tackle security in the state?
“Sometimes I feel I’m from Enugu State. Why? Because what Gov Peter Mbah has been able to do in Enugu for building a security command control centre in Enugu is unparalleled. There is no community in Enugu State that is not captured in that command centre. Any criminal operating from anywhere will be traced and get arrested. That does not mean it could be 100 per cent, but with what Governor Mbah has done in investing in technology to tackle security, that is competence. Look at Amotekun in the South-West and how it is addressing security problem in the South-West. Is that different from the Operation Rainbow who is also using the same gun that Amotekun is also using in the South-West?”
Ndam said that the problem of insecurity will be a thing of the past with an NDC administration both at the state and national level.
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