The Nigeria Democratic Congress has closed the sale of Expression of Interest and Nomination Forms for its 2027 presidential primary, with indications that Peter Obi is the sole aspirant for the party’s ticket.
Party sources said Obi, who contested the 2023 presidential election on the platform of the Labour Party, was the only aspirant to obtain the presidential forms before the deadline elapsed.
The development has strengthened speculations that the former governor of Anambra State may emerge as the party’s consensus candidate for the 2027 election.
While the presidential form sale has ended, the party extended by one week the deadline for aspirants seeking tickets into governorship, Senate, House of Representatives and State Houses of Assembly positions.
In a statement signed by the party’s National Secretary, Ikenna Morgan Enekweizu, the NDC announced that the new deadline for other elective offices is now 12 midnight on Sunday, May 24, 2026, instead of the earlier May 17 deadline.
The party stressed that the extension applied only to non-presidential aspirants, adding that the process for the presidential race had officially been concluded.
According to the timetable released by the party, screening and pre-qualification of aspirants will commence on Tuesday, May 19, and end on May 26.
The party said nomination forms would be made available to aspirants who successfully scale the screening process between May 20 and May 26.
It warned that there would be no further extension beyond the new deadline and advised aspirants to strictly adhere to the guidelines issued by the party.
The NDC directed aspirants to appear before screening panels with relevant credentials, including academic certificates, voter’s cards, birth certificates or declarations of age, passport photographs, membership cards and curriculum vitae.
The party added that all submitted documents must be provided in six copies.
According to the statement, aspirants would be evaluated based on competence, character, local considerations and acceptability among the electorate.
The party also asked the screening committee to consider its affirmative action policy for women, youths and persons living with disabilities in the exercise.
The NDC further encouraged aspirants to pursue consensus arrangements where necessary, noting that only screened and cleared aspirants would proceed to the nomination stage.
Obi recently joined the Nigeria Democratic Congress from the African Democratic Congress as opposition parties intensify preparations ahead of the 2027 polls.
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