Senator Kabiru Marafa has emerged as the governorship candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) in Zamfara State ahead of the 2027 election.

Marafa secured the party’s ticket through a consensus agreement during a meeting held in Gusau, the state capital.

The chairman of the party’s electoral committee, Aminu Jelani, officially announced him as the NDC candidate.

Speaking after the announcement, Marafa thanked party members for their support and promised to provide responsible leadership if elected governor.

He said corruption has slowed development in Zamfara and pledged to promote accountability and the prudent management of public funds.

Marafa also promised to improve governance, raise living standards for residents, and provide equal opportunities for people across the state.

The former senator recently joined the NDC after leaving the ADC, a move earlier confirmed by party leader Seriake Dickson.

According to a statement from the party, Marafa agreed to help strengthen the NDC and lead its activities in Zamfara State.

Prof. James Ene-Nwannaji has emerged as the governorship candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, in Enugu State ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Ene-Nwannaji was declared winner of the party’s governorship primary election held on Friday, defeating other aspirants including Chief Chinyeaka Ohaa and Senator Gilbert Nnaji.

Announcing the outcome, the Secretary of the NDC in Enugu State, Dr. Sebastine Okafor, said the primary election was conducted across the 17 local government areas of the state in line with directives from the party’s national secretariat.

Okafor stated that officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, monitored the exercise.

He also announced the winners of the party’s senatorial primary elections in the three senatorial zones of the state.

According to him, Dr. Chika Obetta emerged as the candidate for Enugu North Senatorial District, Dr. Mrs. Celelia Ikechukwu won the ticket for Enugu East Senatorial District, while Barr. Mrs. Ugochi Ohajekwe secured the party’s ticket for Enugu West Senatorial District.

The party further released names of some House of Representatives candidates.

Dr. Stephen Ugwoke emerged candidate for Nsukka/Igboeze South Federal Constituency, while Barr. Chimezie Nwodo won the ticket for Nkanu East/West Federal Constituency.

Barr. Kene Nnadi was announced as candidate for Enugu North/South Federal Constituency, Comrade Felix Ijegalu emerged for Udi/Ezeagu Federal Constituency, while Barr. Onyebuchi Nwabueze secured the ticket for Igboetiti/Uzo-Uwani Federal Constituency.

Okafor added that the remaining list of House of Representatives and House of Assembly candidates would be released later.

Reacting to the outcome of the exercise, the NDC Chairman in Enugu State, Dr. Johnpaul Ani, described the primary election as peaceful and well organised.

Ani said the exercise was conducted in line with the party’s guidelines and the Electoral Act 2026.

According to him, the successful conduct of the primary election reflected the party’s readiness for the 2027 general elections.

He urged aspirants who did not emerge victorious to accept the outcome and work with the party ahead of the governorship election scheduled for January 2027.

Socio-political commentator, Sam Amadi, has claimed that the African Democratic Congress, ADC, conducted the best primary elections, citing the party’s structured leadership.

Amadi, who claimed that most of the primary elections by political parties were “flawed and fraudulent,” said the All Progressives Congress, APC,” is close second.”

In a post on his official X handle, Amadi claimed that aside from the ADC and APC, other primaries are jokes.

He wrote, “So far @ADCNig has been the best in organising primary elections. On the whole, the primary elections have been flawed and fraudulent. But the leadership at the ADC has been more organised and structured. It has delivered the best primary elections in this electoral cycle.

“@OfficialAPCNg is close second. It was bold, ambitious, but reckless and fraudulent. Its primaries were less efficient and more fraudulent. But kudos for APC being bold and largely coherent.

“If I did not mention you, then it means yours was a joke.

“There is no way to have a good direct primary without clear rules, good systems and protocols. You cannot have a direct primary if you do not know how to determine a member of a party.

“We should not have primaries in one day. It should take weeks or months to have meaningful elective primaries”.

Amadi is a supporter of the Nigerian Democratic Congress, NDC, presidential hopeful, Peter Obi.

NDC is currently conducting its primary elections nationwide.