The national leader of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Henry Seriake Dickson, has announced that only aspirants who emerge in the party’s ongoing primaries for the 2027 general elections will pay nomination fees.
Dickson disclosed this in a statement posted on his official X account on Wednesday following a joint meeting involving the party’s National Working Committee, Selection Committee, and Screening Committee.
According to him, the decision was reached after extensive deliberations attended by the party’s National Chairman, Moses Zuwoghe; presidential aspirant Peter Obi; and other senior party officials.
Dickson said the party adopted the measure due to time constraints and the unexpectedly high number of aspirants seeking to contest on the platform of the NDC.
“Following a briefing at the joint meeting of the Selection Committee and the Screening Committee, and in view of the constraints of time, it was decided that all those who purchased Expression of Interest Forms would be allowed to participate in the primaries in their various constituencies.
“Only successful candidates will report to the party secretariat for documentation and, in the process, pay for nomination forms and complete other necessary forms,” he said.
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He commended the Screening Committee led by former Ebonyi State Governor Sam Egwu for what he described as its painstaking work in handling the large number of aspirants across the country.
The NDC primaries for the 2027 general elections are scheduled to be held nationwide between May 28 and May 29, 2026.
Dickson stated that teams comprising senior party officials had already been deployed to various states to conduct the primaries with the support of stakeholders and local leaders.
He urged the committees to remain transparent and fair throughout the process, especially in accommodating women and youth aspirants with electoral potential.
The former Bayelsa State governor also reiterated the party’s zero tolerance for violence during the exercise, warning that anyone involved in intimidation, threats, or disorderly conduct would face disciplinary action.
He explained that State House of Assembly primaries would be conducted through direct primaries at the constituency level, while primaries and affirmations for the House of Representatives, Senate, governorship, and presidential positions would take place at designated local government headquarters.
Dickson revealed that an appeal panel would be inaugurated to address complaints arising from the exercise.
He acknowledged that the party was unable to fully implement its planned electronic voting system due to limited time and logistical constraints, but assured members that future primaries would be conducted electronically.
“As I said at the dinner with aspirants, this will be the last primary election in the NDC to be conducted manually.
“We understand that the manual process may not be perfect due to time constraints and logistical challenges, and we ask everyone to bear with us. Our intentions are sincere, and future primaries will be conducted electronically to minimise complaints and other challenges,” he said.
Earlier, the party pegged its fee structure for aspirants seeking elective positions, with presidential aspirants expected to pay a combined ₦60 million for Expression of Interest and Nomination forms, while governorship aspirants are to pay ₦30 million.
Senate aspirants are to pay ₦8 million and House of Representatives aspirants ₦6 million, while State House of Assembly aspirants are expected to pay ₦2.5 million.
The party said female aspirants would receive a 50 per cent discount on nomination fees, while persons living with disabilities would pay only 25 per cent of the prescribed fees.
