By Staff Reporter
JOS — The Federal High Court in Jos has reportedly restrained Chief Jonathan Sunday Akuns from presenting himself as the governorship candidate f the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) in Plateau State, amid an ongoing dispute over the party’s 2027 governorship ticket.
The development followed a legal action connected to competing claims over the party’s substitution primary conducted in September.
The dispute centres on two rival claims. A September 15 exercise conducted at the NDC’s Plateau State secretariat produced Alfred Dapal Damiyal, while a separate exercise supervised by the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) produced Akuns as its candidate.
Dispute Over NDC Governorship Ticket
The controversy emerged after the NDC held competing substitution primary exercises in Plateau State.
The party’s national leadership has maintained that Akuns emerged unopposed from the NWC-supervised exercise and that his name was forwarded to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as the party’s candidate.
However, the Plateau State chapter has backed Damiyal, following a separate exercise conducted at the state level. Reports indicate that the September 15 exercise produced Damiyal as the candidate recognised by the state structure.
The competing claims have created uncertainty over the identity of the NDC candidate ahead of the 2027 governorship election.
Damiyal’s Position
Damiyal’s camp maintains that the September 15 exercise was conducted at the party’s authorised secretariat in Jos and that relevant party structures and INEC officials were present.
The camp argues that the process complied with the party’s constitutional procedures and applicable electoral requirements.
The Sun had earlier reported that the Plateau NDC chapter affirmed Damiyal as its governorship candidate, with Meadkom Dung Vincent named as his running mate.
National Leadership Backs Akuns
The NDC national leadership, however, has taken a different position.
According to reports, the party’s National Auditor, Oluwole Adedapo, who was delegated by the NWC to conduct the substitution primary, declared Akuns the winner after he emerged unopposed.
The party’s National Secretary, Ikenna Morgan Enekweizu, also stated that the national leadership had forwarded Akuns’ name to INEC as its nominee for Plateau State.
The conflicting positions between the national leadership and the Plateau State chapter have consequently escalated the internal dispute.
Court Intervention
The latest court development adds another dimension to the dispute as the competing sides seek legal and institutional clarification over the validity of the respective nomination processes.
The court’s reported restriction on Akuns’ public presentation as the NDC governorship candidate does not, by itself, resolve all questions surrounding the party’s ticket. The broader dispute remains subject to the court proceedings and the determination of the relevant party and electoral authorities.
With the 2027 elections approaching, the outcome of the legal proceedings could determine which of the competing claims is recognised under the law.