The Nigeria Democratic Congress has denied issuing a governorship ticket to former Kaduna South Senator, Danjuma La’ah, ahead of the 2027 Kaduna State governorship election.
The party’s Deputy National Chairman, North, Alhaji Sidi Abdul Bomi, made the clarification in a telephone interview, describing a purported governorship ticket bearing La’ah’s name and circulating on social media as fake.
Bomi said the document did not originate from the party and should not be regarded as evidence that La’ah had emerged as the NDC’s governorship candidate.
The development follows a dispute over the party’s governorship nomination in Kaduna, with Mohammed Abbas and La’ah reportedly laying claim to the ticket.
Abbas, who insists that he remains the legitimate candidate of the party, said the NDC leadership had already clarified the matter.
“The Deputy National Chairman said Senator La’ah’s NDC governorship ticket circulating on social media is false,” Abbas stated.
He added that the document was also presented to the party’s national secretary, who questioned its authenticity.
“When it was sent to the national secretary, he said, ‘I think it should be a false document,’” Abbas quoted the official as saying.
Abbas maintained that he followed the party’s nomination process, including obtaining the governorship nomination form, undergoing screening and participating in the primary election.
According to him, the party’s primary election committee conducted the exercise in Kaduna and subsequently reported that he won.
“The party has already uploaded my name. There is no way to become a candidate without going through the process, except you are a replacement,” he said.
He further claimed that La’ah did not undergo the screening exercise or participate in the primary that produced him as the party’s candidate.
“He wasn’t screened. If he was screened, it must have been privately because we didn’t see him at the screening venue. And he didn’t come for the primaries,” Abbas said.
“So how do you give the ticket to a person who didn’t participate in the primaries?”
Abbas also disclosed that he was involved in bringing La’ah into the NDC, claiming that the former lawmaker initially joined the party to pursue a senatorial bid rather than the governorship.
“I brought him to the NDC. He was looking for the Senate seat. He wasn’t looking for the governorship seat,” he said.
La’ah, who previously represented Kaduna South Senatorial District in the Senate, has now become central to the controversy surrounding the party’s 2027 governorship ticket in the state.
Abbas expressed hope that La’ah would return to the senatorial contest, saying his political experience could strengthen the party’s chances in the election.
“I know he is a strong campaigner. If he takes it, he’ll add value to the ticket,” he said.
He also pledged to reach out to La’ah and other stakeholders in an effort to resolve the disagreement within the party.
“I don’t have any doubt that we are going to unify ourselves,” Abbas said.
He urged Kaduna voters to make issues such as the rising cost of living, insecurity and the difficulties faced by farmers key considerations ahead of the 2027 election.
