NDC Opens Door to All Aspirants, Unveils Nationwide Primary Guidelines

The National Leader of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, Senator Henry Seriake Dickson, has announced that all aspirants who purchased Expression of Interest forms will be cleared to participate in the party’s nationwide primaries scheduled for May 28 and 29, 2026, as the party moves to manage a congested electoral timetable.

Dickson disclosed this in a statement following a high-level meeting held on Wednesday, May 27, 2026, involving the National Chairman of the party, presidential aspirant, Peter Obi, members of the National Working Committee (NWC), the Selection Committee, and the Screening Committee chaired by former Ebonyi State Governor, Senator Sam Egwu.

He said the decision followed extensive deliberations and the adoption of the screening report after nearly one week of nationwide vetting of aspirants.

“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,” Dickson said.

He added that while all aspirants would participate in the exercise, only successful candidates would proceed to the party secretariat for documentation, nomination payments, and further formalities.

According to him, special election teams comprising senior party officials have been deployed across all states to oversee the conduct of the primaries in collaboration with stakeholders and local leaders.

The party also reaffirmed its commitment to internal democracy, youth inclusion, and women participation, while urging delegates to support candidates with strong grassroots appeal and electoral value.

Dickson warned against violence and misconduct during the exercise, stressing that the party would not tolerate any form of intimidation.

“We call for violence-free primaries and reiterate our zero tolerance for violent behaviour. The party will take serious action against anyone who resorts to violence, threats, intimidation, or disorderly conduct,” he said.

On the mode of primaries, the party explained that State House of Assembly primaries would be conducted through direct voting at constituency level, while governorship, Senate, House of Representatives and presidential positions would be decided through affirmations at local government headquarters.

Dickson further noted that the final results of the exercise would be ratified by the Selection Committee and the National Executive Committee (NEC) at the party’s national secretariat.

He also urged consensus-building where necessary, adding that unity within the party must be prioritised over personal ambition.

The NDC leader acknowledged that the compressed political timeline affected preparations for full deployment of its electronic voting system.

“As I said at the dinner with aspirants, this will be the last primary election in the NDC to be conducted manually,” he said.

“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.”

Dickson called on party officials to work closely with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies to ensure a peaceful, transparent and credible process.

He also reiterated the party’s long-term goal of building a durable political institution.

“We are not building a special-purpose vehicle for any individual, but a party that will outlive all of us,” he added.