The Federal High Court in Jos has barred Chief Jonathan Sunday Akuns from parading himself as the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) governorship candidate for Plateau State, following a legal action instituted by Alfred Dapal Damiyal.
The development is the latest step in efforts to establish clarity around the NDC’s 2027 governorship ticket. Dapal Damiyal maintains that the process conducted at the party’s authorised secretariat in Jos on September 15 produced him as the legitimate candidate.
AKUNS’ STATUS UNDER SCRUTINY
The legal action has drawn attention to Akuns’ status within the NDC, particularly following his reported suspension by the Plateau State chapter.
Dapal Damiyal’s camp maintains that the circumstances surrounding Akuns’ suspension raise questions about his continued claim to the party’s governorship ticket.
The position advanced by Dapal Damiyal is that the party’s nomination process must be conducted in accordance with its constitution and applicable electoral provisions, with the appropriate party structures exercising the authority vested in them.
DAPAL DAMIYAL’S EMERGENCE
The September 15 nomination exercise at the NDC’s authorised secretariat in Jos produced Alfred Dapal Damiyal as the party’s governorship candidate, according to his court documents.
The process was conducted in the presence of relevant party and INEC officials, with his camp maintaining that all necessary requirements were observed.
The Plateau State chapter has since backed the exercise and continued to identify Dapal Damiyal as its candidate for the 2027 governorship election.
A PARTY LOOKING BEYOND INTERNAL DISTRACTIONS
The development comes as the NDC continues to expand its political presence in Plateau State.
Supporters of Dapal Damiyal argue that the party’s increasing visibility and grassroots acceptance have created significant momentum ahead of the 2027 election.
The camp claims that external forces uneasy about the NDC’s growing influence are stirring uncertainty within its ranks, which, they say, is backfiring by boosting the party’s appeal.
The allegation remains a position advanced by supporters of the Dapal Damiyal camp.
THE ROAD TO 2027
For Dapal Damiyal’s supporters, the immediate priority is to consolidate the party’s structures across Plateau State and keep attention focused on its political programme rather than prolonged internal disagreements.
Their priority, they say, is to keep the NDC focused on its message of New Thinking for a Safe, United and Prosperous Plateau.
The substantive proceedings will ultimately determine the legal status of the competing claims surrounding the governorship ticket.
For now, the court’s intervention has placed a clear restriction on Akuns’ public presentation of himself as the NDC governorship candidate, while the broader legal process continues.
