ABUJA: The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has officially closed the sale of Expression of Interest and Nomination Forms for its 2027 presidential ticket, with indications emerging that the 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, is the sole contender to have purchased the forms.

Concurrently, the party has extended the deadline for the collection of Expression of Interest Forms for all other elective positions—including governorship, senatorial, House of Representatives, and State Houses of Assembly seats—by one week.

According to internal party sources, at the expiration of the deadline for the presidential category, Obi, a former governor of Anambra State, emerged as the exclusive aspirant.

In a statement issued by the National Secretary, Mr. Ikenna Morgan Enekweizu, the NDC announced that the deadline for non-presidential categories, originally scheduled for 6:00 p.m. on Sunday, May 17, 2026, has been extended to 12:00 midnight on Sunday, May 24, 2026. The leadership explicitly clarified that this extension does not apply to the presidential race, which remains officially closed to new entrants.

Screening Timetable and Requirements

Per the official party schedule, the screening of aspirants who have submitted their completed forms is slated to begin today, Tuesday, May 19, and conclude on Tuesday, May 26, 2026.

The collection and submission of Nomination Forms for successfully cleared candidates will run concurrently from May 20 through May 26, 2026.

The NDC leadership has directed all aspirants to present themselves at designated national venues for screening and pre-qualification interviews. Candidates are required to submit six copies of all relevant documentation, including:

• Educational certificates

• Birth certificates or statutory declarations of age

• Recent passport photographs

• Voter registration cards

• Valid NDC membership cards

• Comprehensive curricula vitae (CV)

Criteria for Clearance

The party stated that the evaluation process will place significant weight on electoral preferences, local constituency peculiarities, professional capacity, competence, and the personal character of the aspirants.

Furthermore, the Screening Committee has been mandated to strictly incorporate the party’s affirmative action policy, which promotes the representation of women, youths, and persons living with disabilities.

While encouraging aspirants to pursue consensus-building mechanisms, the NDC emphasized that only individuals who successfully pass the screening process will be eligible to purchase final nomination forms.

Following his recent defection to the NDC from the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Mr. Obi is now widely expected to emerge as the party's consensus presidential standard-bearer for the 2027 general elections.