Jos, Plateau State – A High Court sitting in Jos has issued an interim injunction preventing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) from recognizing a specific individual as the party’s governorship candidate for Plateau State.

The restraining order, granted on Wednesday, October 1, 2026, comes amid an ongoing internal dispute within the NDC regarding its flagbearer for the upcoming gubernatorial election.

According to court documents, the presiding judge, Justice [Name of Judge, if available], issued the order pending the hearing and determination of a motion filed by aggrieved party members. The plaintiffs had approached the court seeking to nullify the purported selection of the candidate, alleging that the party’s primary election process was flawed and did not comply with the Electoral Act and the NDC’s own constitution.

The court order specifically restrains INEC from accepting or publishing the name of the disputed candidate as the valid nominee of the NDC for the Plateau governorship seat. It also bars the NDC leadership from forwarding the candidate’s name to the electoral body.

Legal counsel to the plaintiffs argued that allowing the candidate to stand would undermine the integrity of the democratic process within the party. They contended that the primaries that produced the candidate were marred by irregularities, including the exclusion of legitimate delegates and manipulation of results.

Meanwhile, counsel for the defendants is expected to challenge the jurisdiction of the court and argue that the matter is an internal party affair. However, the court ruled that the issues raised were justiciable and warranted judicial intervention to prevent a fait accompli.

The case has been adjourned to [Date of Next Hearing, if available] for the hearing of the substantive motion.

This development throws the NDC’s Plateau State campaign into uncertainty, as the party now faces a legal hurdle just months before the general elections. Political analysts suggest that if the injunction is not vacated soon, it could severely hamper the party’s preparations and potentially lead to its disqualification from the governorship race in Plateau State.

INEC has yet to issue an official statement regarding the court order, but legal experts note that the commission is bound to comply with valid court judgments. The NDC has also not released a public comment on the ruling.

The case highlights the recurring challenge of intra-party conflicts plaguing Nigerian political parties ahead of major elections, often requiring judicial intervention to resolve disputes over candidate nominations.