I’m The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has disclosed the names of its governorship candidates in 12 states at the centre of a dispute over its preparedness for the 2027 elections and rejected claims that it has yet to field candidates in the affected states.
The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Osa Director, said the NDC had nominated candidates in all 28 states where governorship elections are scheduled for 2027. He described reports to the contrary as false and designed to weaken public confidence in the party’s electoral readiness.
Director released the names of the candidates in the 12 states cited in the reports and provided the party’s most direct response to the claim.
They include Senator Kabiru Marafa in Zamfara, retired Rear Admiral Ibrahim Sanusi Kasim in Borno, John Odey in Cross River, Babanta Michael Okon in Akwa Ibom, Nwofe Boniface in Ebonyi, and Yakubu Solomon Ndam in Plateau.
The list also contains Ilu-Barde Aliyu for Katsina, Umar Usman Besse for Kebbi, Jonga Yahaya Gabakau for Yobe, Dutse Aminu Sani for Jigawa, Professor Yahaya Mohammed Sani for Taraba and Abdu Sidi Bomi for Niger.
The clarification is significant because the disputed states form part of the 28 states expected to elect governors in 2027. By publishing names for each of the 12 states, the opposition party sought to counter the impression that it had gaps in its governorship ticket.
Director also rejected the suggestion that the NDC was operating primarily within a particular region. He described the organisation as a national political movement with structures, candidates, and supporters across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
He said the party was “fully prepared, fully structured, and fully on ground in every state of the federation”.
The NDC publicity chief accused unnamed individuals behind the reports of deliberately presenting misleading information about the party’s preparations. He said the reports were intended to undermine what he described as the party’s growing political influence.
Rather than allowing the controversy to centre solely on the existence of candidates, the party used its response to challenge media practitioners to independently verify information concerning its activities before publication.
Director specifically called on media houses, journalists, bloggers, and content creators to scrutinise their sources; he said the circulation of unverified claims could damage public confidence in journalism and the democratic process.
The party also said it would continue to pursue what it described as issue-based politics despite the controversy surrounding its candidate list.
According to the NDC, its proposed political alternative would focus on security, employment, and accountability. It presented its candidates and manifesto as part of its attempt to challenge what it called the “old order” ahead of the 2027 elections.
The party further characterised Nigerians as dissatisfied with what it termed “recycled failures” and declared that its campaign would seek to position the NDC as an alternative political platform.
However, its immediate response remained centred on the governorship nominations.
By naming candidates for Zamfara, Borno, Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Ebonyi, Plateau, Katsina, Kebbi, Yobe, Jigawa, Taraba, and Niger, the NDC sought to directly rebut the specific claim that it lacked governorship candidates in those states.
Director maintained that the party had candidates across all 28 states where governorship contests would hold, while also restating its claim to a national organisational presence.
The NDC said it would not be distracted by “sponsored falsehoods” as preparations for the 2027 elections gather pace.
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