The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has announced that aspirants seeking to contest for its presidential ticket ahead of the 2027 general elections will pay a total of ₦60 million for the party’s Expression of Interest and Nomination Forms.
The development was contained in the party’s official timetable and schedule of activities released on Tuesday by the NDC national leadership and jointly signed by the National Chairman, Senator Moses Zwughele, and the National Secretary, Barrister Ikenna Enenweizu.
According to the document, presidential aspirants are expected to pay ₦20 million for the Expression of Interest Form and an additional ₦40 million for the Nomination Form, bringing the total cost of participation in the presidential primary process to ₦60 million.
The party also unveiled a detailed timetable outlining the processes for the conduct of its primary elections, including the sale of forms, screening of aspirants, appeals, and the eventual conduct of primaries for all elective offices.
Under the schedule released by the party, the sale of Expression of Interest Forms will commence on Wednesday, May 13, 2026, and end on Monday, May 18, 2026.
The party disclosed that the screening and interview exercise for aspirants would take place between Tuesday, May 19, and Thursday, May 21, 2026.
According to the NDC, only aspirants who successfully scale through the screening process would be eligible to proceed with the purchase of Nomination Forms.
“The party advises all aspirants to attend the screening exercise with all relevant credentials and supporting documents,” the statement noted.
Following the screening exercise, the sale of Nomination Forms will begin immediately on Thursday, May 21, and close on Saturday, May 23, 2026.
The party directed that all completed forms must be submitted on or before Monday, May 25, 2026.
The NDC further disclosed that appeals arising from the screening exercise would be entertained on May 25 and May 26, while primary elections for various elective positions are scheduled to hold on May 27 and 28, 2026.
The party fixed Friday, May 29, 2026, for its presidential primary election, which will take place in Abuja.
Beyond the presidential category, the NDC also released the fees payable by aspirants contesting for other elective offices across the country.
According to the approved fee structure, aspirants seeking election into State Houses of Assembly are expected to pay a total of ₦2.5 million. This includes ₦1 million for the Expression of Interest Form and ₦1.5 million for the Nomination Form.
House of Representatives aspirants are to pay ₦6 million, while aspirants seeking Senate tickets are expected to pay ₦8 million.
Governorship aspirants under the platform of the party will pay a total of ₦30 million, comprising ₦10 million for the Expression of Interest Form and ₦20 million for the Nomination Form.
The NDC leadership maintained that the fees approved by the party remain comparatively lower than what is charged by some major political parties in the country.
The party also announced concessions for certain categories of aspirants as part of efforts to encourage inclusiveness and broaden participation in the political process.
According to the statement, female aspirants will enjoy a 50 per cent reduction in all nomination fees, while persons living with disabilities are expected to pay only 25 per cent of the approved fees across all categories.
The NDC said the measures were introduced to promote gender inclusion, youth participation, and equal political opportunities within the party.
In addition, the party disclosed that all aspirants would be required to sign an undertaking in line with the party’s guidelines, constitution, and code of conduct before participating in the primaries.
The statement further explained that aspirants seeking State House of Assembly tickets would undergo screening exercises in their respective states, while screening for National Assembly, governorship, and presidential aspirants would take place at the party’s national headquarters in Abuja.
The party also clarified that governorship primaries would be conducted at the local government level.
To strengthen internal democracy and transparency, the NDC announced that it would adopt the open secret ballot system for all its primary elections.
Party officials said the method was designed to guarantee credibility, fairness, and transparency throughout the nomination process.
The NDC has continued to attract national attention following the influx of prominent political figures into the party ahead of the 2027 elections.
The party, founded under the guidance of former Bayelsa State Governor and Senator Seriake Dickson, has recently emerged as a major platform for opposition politics in Nigeria.
Among the notable politicians who have aligned with the movement are former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and former Kano State Governor and ex-presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.
Both leaders formally joined forces with the NDC in recent weeks as consultations and coalition talks intensified ahead of the 2027 polls.
The party also recently held its inaugural national convention on May 9, 2026, at the Los Angeles Event Centre in Abuja, where delegates adopted a zoning arrangement that ceded the party’s 2027 presidential ticket to Southern Nigeria.
The convention attracted top political figures, party leaders, members of the Obidient Movement, and supporters of the Kwankwasiyya political movement.
Political observers believe the NDC’s latest moves signal its determination to position itself as a formidable opposition platform ahead of the next general election.
