Kaduna NDC Still Searching for Governorship Candidate for 2027

The Nigeria Democratic Congress has said it has not yet chosen a governorship candidate for the 2027 election in Kaduna State. This comes despite claims from former Senator Danjuma La’ah and lawyer Mohammed Abbas.

The state chairman of the party, Evangelist Mordecai Ibrahim, shared this information on Wednesday during a press conference in Kaduna. He insisted that the argument over the party’s governorship ticket is still ongoing.

Ibrahim stated that the party needs to hold a substitution primary to select a valid candidate, especially after he withdrew from the race. He said, “The bitter truth is that both at the state and national levels, the decision as to who is the governorship candidate of Kaduna State, whether Barrister Mohammed Sani Abbas or Senator Danjuma Tellah La’ah, has not been taken.”

The chairman explained that he was the party’s recognized candidate until he voluntarily stepped down. He mentioned that he officially told the NDC National Chairman and the Kaduna State Resident Electoral Commissioner about his withdrawal, following Section 31 of the Electoral Act 2026.

Ibrahim said he submitted a withdrawal letter on August 7, which the national chairman’s office received. He also provided an affidavit to support his withdrawal. He presented what he called an INEC summary of candidates nominated by political parties for the 2027 general election, which listed his name as the NDC governorship candidate.

PUNCH Online reports that this situation has sparked a new argument over who should take the party’s ticket, with La’ah and Abbas both claiming the nomination. A faction of the party denied giving a governorship ticket to La’ah.

The NDC Deputy National Chairman for the North, Alhaji Sidi Bomi, also dismissed a document with La’ah’s name that has been shared online. Bomi said the document did not come from the party and should not be seen as proof that La’ah is the NDC candidate.

Abbas has insisted that he is still the party's rightful governorship candidate. But the chairman disagreed, accusing Abbas of wrongly claiming that he took part in and won a primary election. He said, “It is highly unfortunate for a member of the temple of justice to spew such lies that he participated in a primary election which he won, knowing same to be outright falsehood. Nothing can be farther from the truth than this dishonest claim.”

Ibrahim stated that the party cannot resolve this issue through false claims, emphasizing that the proper internal electoral process must be followed. He said, “By the provision of Section 31 of the Electoral Act 2026, Nigeria Democratic Congress is now only left with the option of organising a substitution primary election for a validly recognised candidate to emerge since they have been unable to reach a consensus, thus anything short of this will be illegal.”

The chairman also revealed that two other governorship hopefuls, Zariyi Madaki and Ibrahim Abdulkarim, had already withdrawn from the race in favor of La’ah. He praised La’ah as a politician with rich experience, mentioning that the former senator served two terms and was once the only PDP senator in Kaduna State and the North-West.

Ibrahim advised Abbas to focus on building his political base at the ward and local government levels. He said, “Every politician worth his onion will first make sure his ward and local government are on his side because charity must always begin at home.”

The chairman’s statement has made the crisis within the NDC in Kaduna State even deeper as the party and its aspirants prepare for the 2027 governorship election. His declaration was backed by members of the Kaduna State Working Committee, including the Kaduna South Senatorial District Chairman, Obed Danjuma; Kaduna South Central District Chairman, Aminu Idris; State Assistant Secretary, Emmanuel Dogara; State Woman Leader, Ruth David; Acting Organising Secretary, Ibrahim Yunusa; Legal Adviser, Barnabas John; Auditor, Micah Ayuba; Treasurer, Ayuba Yashim; Welfare Secretary, Gideon Nuhu; Chikun Local Government Chairman and ALGON Chairman, Commander Bitrus Yahaya; and Sabon Gari Local Government Chairman and ALGON Secretary, Sabiu Ibrahim.