A leading aspirant for the Jos North/Bassa Federal Constituency seat under the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Hon. David Lahandu Dama, has accused the Plateau State leadership of the party of undermining internal democracy and called for an immediate review of the process that produced the party’s candidate ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Addressing journalists in Jos on Monday, Dama expressed dissatisfaction with what he described as the absence of a transparent and democratic process in the selection of the party’s candidate for the constituency.
The aspirant alleged that party leaders bypassed constitutional provisions and failed to conduct a direct primary election, opting instead for what he termed a “backroom selection process.”
“We are witnessing a dangerous drift into the abyss of misdirection, retrogressive governance, and institutional decay,” Dama said. “Instead of a fair and transparent democratic contest, the leadership of the NDC chose to manoeuvre every transparent process and subvert the will of the people.”
He further claimed that the development had eroded confidence among party members and grassroots supporters who had worked to establish the party’s presence in Plateau State.
According to him, the party, which was founded on promises of transparency and accountability, has now adopted practices similar to those it once criticized.
“The NDC on the Plateau has officially become a caricature of the old system, characterised by imposition, impunity, high-handedness and lack of internal democratic accountability,” he stated.
Dama also alleged that the party had failed to conduct direct primaries as provided by law and questioned the rationale behind what he described as the imposition of an unpopular aspirant.
He said the situation had left many supporters, particularly youths, women and grassroots mobilisers, feeling disappointed and disillusioned.
Despite the setback, the aspirant urged his supporters to remain calm and law-abiding while consultations continue on the next course of action.
“We are weighing our options and consulting widely with stakeholders across the constituency. We shall make our next definitive political move known in the coming days,” he said.
Dama called on the national leadership of the NDC to intervene and review the candidate selection process, insisting that the alleged injustice perpetrated by the Plateau State chapter should not be allowed to stand.
“We demand a total review of this fraudulent selection process. We demand a return to first principles where the rule of law and democratic accountability reign supreme,” he added.
The NDC Plateau State chapter had not issued an official response to the allegations as of the time of filing this report.
The development comes as political parties across the country continue preparations and internal consultations ahead of the 2027 general elections.
