The Nigeria Democratic Congress has officially closed the sale of Expression of Interest and Nomination Forms for its 2027 presidential ticket amid indications that former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, was the only aspirant who purchased the forms.
The party, however, announced a one-week extension for the collection of Expression of Interest Forms for other elective positions, including governorship, Senate, House of Representatives and State Houses of Assembly seats.
Sources within the party disclosed that at the close of sales for the presidential ticket, Obi, a former governor of Anambra State, remained the sole aspirant to obtain the forms.
National Secretary of the NDC, Mr. Ikenna Morgan Enekweizu, confirmed the development in a statement, noting that the deadline initially fixed for 6:00 p.m. on Sunday, May 17, 2026, had been extended to 12 midnight on Sunday, May 24, 2026, for other categories of aspirants.
According to the statement, the extension applies only to aspirants seeking tickets into the State Houses of Assembly, House of Representatives, Senate and governorship positions, while the sale of Expression of Interest Forms for the office of the President has officially closed.
The party further released its timetable for the next phase of the nomination process, stating that screening of aspirants who purchased and completed the forms would commence on Tuesday, May 19, and end on Tuesday, May 26, 2026.
It added that the collection and return of Nomination Forms for aspirants who successfully pass the screening and clearance stage would begin on May 20 and close on May 26.
The NDC warned that no further extension would be granted beyond the new deadline and urged all aspirants to comply strictly with the party’s guidelines and timetable.
The party also directed aspirants to appear before screening and pre-qualification panels at designated venues nationwide with relevant documents, including educational certificates, birth certificates or declarations of age, passport photographs, voter’s cards, party membership cards and curriculum vitae.
According to the statement, all submitted documents must be provided in six copies to the Screening Committee.
The NDC stated that the screening exercise would be guided by factors such as the wishes of the electorate, local political considerations, competence, capacity and the character of aspirants.
It added that the committee had also been directed to consider the party’s affirmative action policy for women, youths and persons living with disabilities during the process.
The party further encouraged aspirants to embrace consensus-building, stressing that only candidates cleared through the screening process would qualify to purchase nomination forms.
With the latest development, Obi, who recently defected from the African Democratic Congress to the NDC, is expected to emerge as the party’s consensus presidential candidate for the 2027 election.
