The Nigeria Democratic Congress on Tuesday unveiled the timetable for its 2027 primary elections, announcing that presidential aspirants will pay a total of N60m for Nomination and Expression of Interest forms ahead of the next general elections.
The party’s National Chairman, Moses Cleopas, disclosed the development in a statement issued in Abuja.
According to the timetable released by the party, the sale of forms will begin from May 13 and end on May 18, 2026, marking the commencement of the party’s internal electoral process.
Cleopas stated that screening exercises for aspirants would precede the sale of nomination forms, urging all interested candidates to appear with relevant credentials and supporting documents.
“The sale of nomination forms will commence immediately after the screening exercise from Thursday, May 21 to Saturday, May 23, 2026, while completed forms must be submitted on or before Monday, May 25,” the statement read.
The party further disclosed that appeals arising from the screening process would be handled between May 25 and May 26, while primary elections for various elective positions are scheduled for May 27 and May 28.
“The presidential primary election is slated for May 29, 2026, in Abuja,” the statement added.
Cleopas explained that aspirants contesting for seats in state Houses of Assembly would undergo screening in their respective states, while screenings for National Assembly and presidential aspirants would hold at the party’s national headquarters in Abuja.
He also noted that all aspirants would be required to sign an undertaking in line with the party’s code of conduct and electoral guidelines.
The NDC further announced that it would adopt the “open secret ballot” voting method for its primaries, saying the system was designed to ensure credibility, fairness, and internal democracy within the party.
Under the approved fee structure, aspirants seeking state House of Assembly tickets are expected to pay N2.5m for both Expression of Interest and Nomination forms.
House of Representatives aspirants will pay N6m, while Senate hopefuls are expected to pay N8m.
Governorship aspirants will pay N30m, while presidential hopefuls are to pay N20m for the Expression of Interest form and N40m for the Nomination form, bringing the total cost to N60m.
The party also announced concessions for women and persons living with disabilities.
According to the statement, female aspirants will pay 50 per cent of the approved fees across all categories, while persons living with disabilities will pay 25 per cent.
The NDC maintained that its nomination fees remain relatively lower compared to those charged by other major political parties in Nigeria.
“The party reaffirmed its commitment to a transparent and credible primary election process capable of producing competent candidates for the 2027 general elections,” Cleopas stated.
