Wat next for opposition parties as NDC announce timetable for sale of forms

Di Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), one of Nigeria leading opposition parties don fix 29 May 2026 for dia presidential primary elections, to elect who go fly di party flag for di 2027 general elections.

Dis dey come as political parties for Nigeria dey race against time to put dia programmes in oda in preparation for di 2027 general elections, as deadlines fixed by di Independent National Electoral Commission (Inec).

As e be now, opportunity no dey again for pipo wey wan leave dia party to join anoda party bicos di deadline wey Inec fix for evri party to submit dia membership register na 10 May, 2026.

"Di register of party members must be submitted to Inec not later dan 21 days bifor di holding of dia respective primaries," di electoral body bin tok for one of dia statements.

Remember say Inec bin don announce for di 2027 election timetable wey dem bin release, say di window for parties to hold dia primary election na betwin April 23 and May 30, 2026.

Dis development mean say any politician wey dey plan to decamp to anoda party but e neva do am reach now, e no get any oda choice dan to remain for im party.

Di NDC - wey don emerge as di latest major opposition party for Nigeria - na one of di last to release dia timetable for di elections, di oda major parties including di ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and di joinbodi opposition movement, di Africa Democratic Congress (ADC) bin don release dia own programmes several days earlier.

According to di NDC statement on Tuesday, di sale of nomination forms go start from May 21 to May 23, while screening of candidates go end by May 26.

Primary elections for di various elective offices go hapun on May 27 and 28, but di one for di presidential ticket go hold on May 29 for Abuja.

Di total price for di presidential form of di NDC na 60 million naira, and e include di expression of interest form and di nomination form.

For pipo wey wan run for guvnorship position, di total price na 30 million naira, senatorial position na eight million, House of Representatives seat na six million, and State Assembly position na 2.5 million naira respectively.

Female aspirants go get 50 percent discount for di price of di tickets while pipo wey get disabilities go also get 25 percent discount.

2027 general elections preparation

Afta di party primaries, di next major event ahead of di elections na di start of campaigns.

Di campaigns for presidential and National Assembly elections go start for 19 August while di one for govnorship and state House of Assembly go begin on 9 September 2026.

On Tuesday, Inec announce say dem go recruit about 1.4 million ad-hoc staff wey many of dem go be members of di National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) for di elections.

Nigeria go hold dia presidential and national assembly elections on January 16, 2027, and di govnorship and State Houses of Assembly election go be on February 6, 2027.