By Gurara Accord
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has omitted former Senator Danjuma Laah from its recently released list of governorship candidates for Kaduna State, raising questions about the status of his purported nomination by the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
Laah had been announced as the party’s preferred governorship candidate by the NDC State Executive Committee and local government chairmen. However, conflicting claims from the party’s state and national leadership have cast doubt on the validity of his candidature.
The controversy deepened after the party’s national leadership reportedly disowned a widely circulated document said to confirm Laah’s nomination.
The NDC Deputy National Chairman (North), Alhaji Sidi Abdul Bomi, subsequently stated that the party had not formally issued a governorship ticket to any aspirant, contradicting the announcement by the state chapter.
The situation became more complicated when Mohammed Sani Abbas also laid claim to the NDC governorship ticket, insisting that he was the party’s legitimate candidate for the Kaduna governorship election.
Meanwhile, some party stakeholders have alleged that the name of the state chairman, Mordecai Sunday Ibrahim, was submitted to INEC as a placeholder pending the resolution of the nomination dispute.
The competing claims have created uncertainty over who, if anyone, was formally nominated by the NDC’s national leadership and whose name was submitted to the electoral commission.
Laah’s omission from INEC’s published list has therefore renewed calls for clarification from the party leadership regarding the outcome of its nomination process and the identity of the candidate officially presented to the commission.
However, INEC has not publicly disclosed the specific reason for Laah’s omission, while the available information does not establish whether his name was formally submitted by the party.
Until the NDC leadership clarifies the dispute and INEC provides further information, the controversy could create legal and electoral uncertainty for the party as preparations for the Kaduna governorship election continue.
The development also highlights the importance of resolving internal party disputes and ensuring that nominations are conducted and communicated in accordance with applicable electoral laws and procedures.
