The Nigeria Democratic Congress on Tuesday unveiled the timetable for its primary elections, with aspirants for the presidency expected to pay N60m for Nomination and Expression of Interest forms ahead of the 2027 general elections.
NDC National Chairman, Moses Cleopas, disclosed this in a statement issued to journalists in Abuja.
Cleopas said the sale of forms would run from May 13 to May 18 as the first phase of the party’s internal electoral process ahead of the general elections.
The party further directed aspirants to appear for the screening exercise with all required credentials and relevant supporting documents.
The statement read, “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.
“Appeals arising from the screening process will be entertained on May 25 and 26, while primary elections for various elective offices are scheduled to be held on May 27 and 28, 2026.
“The presidential primary election is slated for May 29, 2026, in Abuja.”
Continuing, Cleopas explained that aspirants seeking tickets for state Houses of Assembly would undergo screening in their respective states, while National Assembly and presidential aspirants would be screened at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja.
According to him, all aspirants must sign an undertaking in line with the party’s guidelines and code of conduct.
He said, “The party also announced that it would adopt the ‘open secret ballot’ system for its primaries to guarantee credibility, fairness, and internal democracy.”
An open ballot system refers to a voting method where voters cast their ballots publicly, unlike the secret ballot system where choices remain confidential.
The NDC maintained that its nomination fees remain relatively low compared to those charged by other major political parties in the country.
Under the fee structure, aspirants for state Houses of Assembly will pay N2.5m for both forms, while House of Representatives aspirants will pay N6m.
Senatorial aspirants are to pay N8m, while governorship aspirants will pay N30m.
“For the presidency, aspirants will pay N20m for the expression of interest form and N40m for the nomination, bringing the total cost to N60m.
“Meanwhile, female aspirants and persons living with disability are to pay 50 per cent and 25 per cent of the fees across all categories.
“The party reaffirmed its commitment to a transparent and credible primary election process capable of producing competent candidates for the 2027 general elections,” Cleopas added.
