The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) in Plateau State has been plunged into fresh controversy over competing claims arising from its recent governorship substitution primary ahead of the 2027 election.

The dispute centres on the identity of the party’s governorship candidate, with the national leadership declaring Da Jonathan Sunday Akuns the winner of its substitution primary, while a separate exercise reportedly took place at the state level.

NDC National Auditor, Oluwole Adedapo, who was delegated by the party’s National Working Committee to conduct the primary, said Akuns emerged unopposed.

Adedapo said he visited the party’s state secretariat after arriving in Jos and explained the purpose of his assignment before a stakeholders’ meeting was moved to a larger venue due to space constraints.

He alleged that the meeting was disrupted on the eve of the primary when some individuals who identified themselves as Department of State Services operatives asked him to accompany them.

According to him, party members present declined the request, insisting that he had been sent from Abuja and that the meeting was a legitimate political gathering.

Adedapo further alleged that on the day of the primary, state chairman Solomon Ndam Yakubu opposed the exercise and proceeded with a separate meeting involving chairmen of seven local government areas.

He maintained that the authority to conduct governorship primaries rested with the party’s national leadership and said NDC records showed that Akuns was the only aspirant who purchased the expression of interest and nomination forms and was successfully screened.

A party stakeholder, Abdullahi Iliya, however, alleged that Ndam later forwarded the name of Alfred Dapal Damiyal to the Independent National Electoral Commission after the separate exercise.

The allegation could not be independently verified. Ndam denied wrongdoing, saying he was unaware of any dispute over the party’s governorship ticket and that INEC monitored the exercise and compiled its report.

NDC National Secretary, Ikenna Morgan Enekweizu, said the party had forwarded Akuns’ name to INEC as its nominee.

He said any submission outside the name forwarded by the national leadership would be challenged, adding that the party would seek clarification and pursue legal remedies if necessary.

The dispute has left uncertainty over the NDC’s governorship ticket in Plateau State as preparations continue for the 2027 election.