The campaign organisation of Senator Danjuma La’ah has challenged Barrister Mohammed Sani Abbas to produce documentary evidence of the alleged Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) governorship primary election in Kaduna state, insisting that no such primary was conducted.

The La’ah Campaign Media Team made the demand in a rejoinder to a report published by The PUNCH on August 24, 2026, titled “2027: NDC disowns La’ah’s Kaduna gov ticket.” Blueprint reports

The campaign team said the publication had generated public confusion over the party’s governorship ticket, prompting it to respond and clarify what it described as “assertions requiring clarification.”

According to the team, Abbas had claimed that he obtained the NDC governorship nomination form, was screened, participated in a primary election conducted by a party committee in Kaduna and subsequently emerged as the party’s candidate.

However, the La’ah campaign questioned the circumstances surrounding the alleged primary, asking the NDC to make available official records to establish when, where and how the election was conducted.

Campaign demands primary records

The campaign said if Abbas maintained that a governorship primary was conducted, the party should produce the official primary notice, date, venue, electoral committee, attendance register, accreditation records, result sheets, returning officer’s report, minutes and other relevant documents.

It argued that the dispute should not be resolved through media interviews or social media declarations but through verifiable party records.

The campaign further recalled that the Kaduna state NDC leadership had publicly stated in July that the governorship primary earlier scheduled for May 29, 2026 did not take place.

According to the statement, the development was attributed to efforts by the electoral committee, State Working Committee and aspirants to resolve the issue of the party’s candidate through consensus.

It also claimed that the Kaduna state chairman subsequently acknowledged publicly that the state had not conducted a governorship primary, while explaining the circumstances surrounding Senator La’ah’s presentation of his nomination form and evidence of payment to the State Working Committee.

The campaign therefore insisted that any claim of a subsequent primary should be backed by official documentation.

La’ah campaign explains reconciliation process

The media team also sought to clarify the circumstances surrounding the reconciliation process that eventually produced what it described as an outcome in favour of Senator La’ah.

It said the party’s unresolved governorship candidature led to a reconciliation process involving aspirants and relevant stakeholders.

According to the campaign, two of the four aspirants voluntarily stepped down in favour of La’ah during the first stage of the process, citing his political experience, statewide network and electoral value.

The team said Abbas declined to step down, adding that his decision was respected.

It said another effort was subsequently made to resolve the disagreement through consultations involving prominent stakeholders and senior party leaders, including former Kano state governor and national political figure, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.

As part of the process, the campaign said a Yes-or-No ballot was adopted to resolve the impasse over the choice of candidate.

It explained that the ballot was not intended to determine the eligibility of any aspirant but was adopted as a mechanism for resolving the disagreement and moving the party forward.

The campaign claimed that La’ah received the “YES” choice, while Abbas received the “NO” choice.

It questioned why the outcome of the reconciliation process should become unacceptable simply because it did not favour one particular aspirant.

Leadership credibility at stake, campaign says

The La’ah campaign said the disagreement had gone beyond the personal ambitions of the two aspirants and now raised questions about the credibility of the NDC leadership.

It argued that where senior party leaders participated in consultations and facilitated a process designed to resolve the impasse, their decision should be respected unless there was credible evidence that the process itself was fundamentally defective.

According to the team, rejecting the outcome without producing evidence of a properly conducted alternative primary could create the impression that the authority of party leaders was only respected when their decisions favoured a particular individual.

“That cannot be the standard of internal democracy,” the campaign said.

Team seeks clarification on screening, payments

The campaign also demanded clarification on the alleged screening and nomination process involving Abbas.

It asked the party to disclose who the screened aspirants were, when and where the screening was conducted, who constituted the screening committee and when and where the alleged primary took place.

It also requested the names of the electoral officers, result sheets, returning officer’s report, minutes and attendance records.

The campaign further asked the party to disclose the amounts paid by each aspirant for the Expression of Interest and Nomination Forms and where the payments were made.

It said La’ah had presented his nomination documentation and evidence of payment to the party, adding that the Kaduna State chairman had publicly confirmed the circumstance.

The campaign maintained that such issues should be resolved through official records rather than competing narratives.

La’ah campaign separates document dispute from candidature

The media team also addressed comments attributed to NDC Deputy National Chairman, North, Alhaji Sidi Abdul Bomi, who reportedly dismissed a document circulating online as not having originated from the party.

While expressing respect for the office of the Deputy National Chairman, the campaign said there was a distinction between disowning a particular document circulating on social media and determining who the legitimate NDC governorship candidate in Kaduna state was.

It argued that the authenticity of one document, by itself, did not establish the validity of another person’s candidature.

The campaign called on the national leadership of the party to communicate any definitive position through the appropriate official channels and support such a position with relevant records.

It said the NDC’s established organs should be allowed to make and communicate major party decisions, stressing that the Kaduna governorship ticket was too important to be left to contradictory interpretations arising from telephone interviews, social media documents and individual statements.

‘Why ambition is about Kaduna’

The campaign also defended La’ah’s aspiration, saying it was not driven by personal rivalry against Abbas or any other aspirant.

It described the former senator, who represented Kaduna South in the National Assembly, as a politician with experience, statewide relationships and a broad political network.

The campaign said La’ah’s ambition was focused on providing Kaduna state with alternative leadership capable of building bridges across Northern, Central and Southern Kaduna, as well as across religious, ethnic and political divides.

It said his vision was centred on inclusive governance, competent leadership and a new political direction for the state.

Campaign urges Abbas to join hands with La’ah

Despite the dispute, the campaign appealed to Abbas and his supporters to accept the outcome of the reconciliation process and work with La’ah and the wider NDC family ahead of the 2027 elections.

It said supporters of Abbas would not be treated as enemies, describing them as members of the same political family who still had a role to play in building a successful NDC campaign.

“There is room for everybody. There is no permanent enemy in politics.

“There is, however, a permanent interest: the interest of the people of Kaduna State,” the campaign said.

The team also called on the NDC national leadership to provide an authoritative clarification based on documentary evidence and bring the controversy to a final and credible resolution.

It maintained that until evidence was produced establishing a duly authorised and properly conducted governorship primary that produced Abbas, claims of such a primary should not be allowed to override the reconciliation process through which the party sought to resolve the candidature dispute.

The campaign said La’ah remained focused on consultations with stakeholders ahead of the formal commencement of campaign activities, adding that he was engaging stakeholders, building bridges and preparing to offer Kaduna State what it described as a credible alternative.

The team urged Abbas and his supporters to put the contest behind them and work together for the NDC ahead of the 2027 elections.

“The NDC is one family. The door remains open. The future is bigger than any individual ambition,” it said.