Major crisis rock Plateau NDC as chairman alleges forged INEC Substitution Form

The Plateau State chapter of the Nigeria Democratic Congress has raised fresh concerns over the party’s governorship ticket, alleging that an INEC candidate-substitution form was forged to replace its preferred candidate with Jonathan Sunday Akuns.

Speaking at a press conference held at the party secretariat in Jos on Monday, the state chairman and former governorship candidate, Comrade Solomon Ndam, said he was lawfully elected during the party’s governorship primary conducted on May 29 and 30, 2026.

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Ndam explained that he later voluntarily withdrew from the race in deference to Plateau State’s zoning arrangement and to enable the party to conduct a substitution primary.

According to him, the substitution primary held in Jos on September 15 produced Engr. Alfred Ali Dapal through affirmation.

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He, however, alleged that the national electoral committee assigned to supervise the exercise abruptly left the venue, creating what he described as an administrative vacuum.

The chairman said he subsequently relied on the party’s constitution to complete the nomination process and insisted that he personally executed INEC Form EC11B only in favour of Dapal.

Ndam alleged that a separate version of the form later surfaced bearing his name and passport photograph but containing a signature he described as fake and completely unfamiliar.

He claimed that the disputed document was used to upload Jonathan Sunday Akuns as the party’s governorship candidate, despite the absence of his consent as the withdrawing candidate.

“I am alive, healthy and active”, arguing that the Electoral Act does not permit the substitution of a living candidate without the candidate’s explicit written consent.

He maintained that substitution without such consent could only arise in the event of death, supported by a valid death certificate.

The state chairman called on the Inspector-General of Police and the Plateau State Police Command to launch an immediate investigation into the alleged forgery.

He demanded that whoever signed or submitted the disputed document, together with any alleged accomplices, be identified, arrested and prosecuted.

The controversy comes amid wider disputes over party nominations and the Independent National Electoral Commission’s final list for the 2027 elections.

The correspondent reports that Akuns Jonathan Sunday appeared on INEC’s published list as the NDC governorship candidate in Plateau State, while 17 candidates were listed for the governorship election.

Ndam also referred to an existing Federal High Court order restraining Akuns from parading himself as the NDC governorship candidate pending the determination of a suit filed by Dapal. The court’s final position on the substantive dispute remains pending.

He urged NDC members across Plateau State’s 17 local government areas to remain calm and loyal to the party, while reaffirming the party’s commitment to what he called a transparent and lawful nomination process.

The latest development adds to the growing uncertainty surrounding the NDC ticket in Plateau State, with the disputed substitution, the alleged forgery and the pending court proceedings now likely to determine who will ultimately represent the party in the 2027 governorship election.

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