Kaduna NDC gubernatorial hopeful disputes allegations of being handpicked

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The campaign organisation of the Nigerian Democratic Congress governorship candidate in Kaduna State, Mohammed Abbas, has dismissed allegations that he was imposed on the party.

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The dismissal followed a statement by some aggrieved members rejecting what they described as an attempt by the party’s National Working Committee to impose Abbas as the governorship candidate, insisting that no valid primary election was conducted to produce the party’s flag bearer for the 2027 poll.

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Addressing journalists in Kaduna on Friday, the Coordinator of the OK Movement and Protem Director-General of the Mohammed Sani Abbas Campaign Organisation, Alhaji Ibrahim Kaya, stated that there was no crisis in the state chapter and that Abbas remained the only recognised governorship candidate of the party.

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He said Abbas was duly confirmed and uploaded by the national leadership of the NDC after due process.

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Kaya said the NDC, which was registered by the Independent National Electoral Commission in December 2025, had followed due process in nominating candidates for various elective positions in accordance with its constitution and the Electoral Act.

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He described disagreements among members as a normal feature of party politics, saying they should not be mistaken for a leadership crisis.

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“It is normal for members to have different political interests, but that does not amount to a crisis. We are one family in the NDC, and all issues will be resolved through reconciliation,” he stated.

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Kaya also dismissed claims that Abbas did not obtain his nomination form through the proper channel, maintaining that the governorship candidate was duly nominated and presented by the party on June 7, 2026.

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He accused some party leaders of exploiting aspirants and promoting ethnic and religious sentiments, urging the national leadership to investigate the allegations and sanction anyone found culpable.

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“We want politics devoid of ethnic, religious and sectional sentiments. Kaduna belongs to all of us, and we must work together to build a united party,” he said.

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In a statement signed by the Kaduna State Publicity Secretary of the NDC, Isaac Tanko, the aggrieved members had insisted that no governorship primary election was held on May 29, 2026.

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According to the group, the party’s Electoral Committee, led by Prof. Silva Opuala-Charles, had directed the state chairman to convene a meeting of governorship aspirants to explore the possibility of producing a consensus candidate.

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The statement said the meeting, which involved Ibrahim Abdulkarim, Zariyi Madaki and Abbas, ended without an agreement, while a former senator, Danjuma La’ah, later joined the race after purchasing the nomination forms.

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“For the avoidance of doubt, Kaduna State governorship primary election did not hold on May 29 because the Electoral Committee directed the state chairman to invite all aspirants for discussions on producing a consensus candidate.

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“There was no consensus reached among the aspirants and, consequently, the governorship primary election scheduled for that day did not hold,” the statement said.

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The aggrieved members argued that recognising Abbas as the party’s candidate without conducting a valid primary would violate the Electoral Act.

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They urged the party’s national leadership to seek an extension of the nomination period from INEC and conduct a fresh governorship primary.

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