NDC announces free primaries - only winners pay nomination fees

NDC leader Henry Seriake Dickson reveals only successful candidates from ongoing primaries will pay nomination fees, with all who purchased Expression of Interest Forms allowed to participate nationwide. The decision follows extensive deliberations by party committees handling unexpectedly high aspirant numbers.

Primaries scheduled for TODAY and TOMORROW (May 28-29, 2026) will see State Assembly primaries conducted through direct voting at constituency level, while House of Reps, Senate, Governorship and Presidential primaries take place at designated local government headquarters nationwide.

Fee structure for successful aspirants: Presidential ₦60 million, Governorship ₦30 million, Senate ₦8 million, House of Reps ₦6 million, State Assembly ₦2.5 million. Female aspirants get 50% discount on nomination fees, persons with disabilities pay only 25%. Party deployed officials to states with instructions to maintain transparency and accommodate women/youth.

This will be NDC's last manual primary election - future ones will be electronic due to logistical constraints. Teams have been deployed nationwide with zero tolerance for violence during the exercise.

As an aspirant, will you participate knowing only winners pay the substantial nomination fees, or wait for future electronic primaries with potentially lower barriers to entry?

SOURCE: https://www.channelstv.com/2026/05/28/only-successful-aspirants-to-pay-nomination-fees-says-ndc/