Peter Obi, the former presidential candidate of the Labour Party, has been confirmed as the sole aspirant for the presidential ticket of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) in the lead-up to the 2027 general election.
This development comes after the closure of the sale of Expression of Interest and Nomination Forms for the party’s presidential primary, with party insiders reporting that Obi was the only candidate to complete the necessary process before the deadline.
In contrast, the NDC has announced an extension for aspirants seeking positions in other elective offices across the nation. This extension impacts roles such as governorship, Senate, House of Representatives, and State Houses of Assembly.
According to a statement from the party’s National Secretary, Mr. Ikenna Morgan Enekweizu, the deadline for collecting Expression of Interest Forms for these categories has been postponed from May 17 to May 24, 2026.
It is important to note that this extension does not apply to the presidential race, as the party has officially closed the window for presidential aspirants.
With Obi being the only candidate, there is growing speculation that he may be positioned as the consensus candidate for the NDC in the upcoming election cycle.
Obi recently joined the NDC after parting ways with the African Democratic Congress, ADC, a move that sparked fresh political conversations within opposition circles and among his supporters nationwide.
According to the timetable released by the party, screening of aspirants will begin on Tuesday, May 19, and end on May 26. The process will cover aspirants who successfully purchased and submitted their completed forms.
The party also fixed May 20 to May 26 for the collection and return of Nomination Forms by aspirants who scale through the screening stage.
The NDC warned that no further extension would be granted after the new deadline and urged aspirants to strictly comply with the timetable and submission guidelines.
It directed all aspirants to appear before screening and pre-qualification panels with relevant documents, including educational certificates, birth certificates or age declarations, passport photographs, voter’s cards, party membership cards and curriculum vitae.
According to the party, all documents are expected to be submitted in six copies to the Screening Committee.
The NDC further explained that aspirants would be assessed based on competence, capacity, character and acceptability among the electorate, while local political realities would also be considered during the screening exercise.
The party added that its affirmative action policy would remain a major consideration, especially for women, youths and persons living with disabilities seeking elective positions under its platform.
It also encouraged aspirants to embrace consensus arrangements where necessary in order to strengthen internal unity ahead of the elections.
