JUST IN: NDC approves Peter Obi, other aspirants for primaries after screening exercise

The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has announced that all aspirants who purchased expression of interest forms for the party’s primaries ahead of the 2027 elections have been cleared to participate in the exercise.

Senator Seriake Dickson, national leader of the party, disclosed this after a joint meeting involving the party’s national working committee, screening committee and selection committee.

Dickson said the meeting was attended by Peter Obi, presidential aspirant of the party, alongside other key stakeholders.

The former Bayelsa governor said the decision followed the submission of the screening committee report chaired by Senator Sam Egwu, a former governor of Ebonyi state.

“We thank the committee for its painstaking work, which lasted almost a week, especially in handling the staggering number of aspirants that far exceeded our expectations,” Dickson said.

He said the party resolved to allow all aspirants with expression of interest forms to contest in view of time constraints facing the party.

“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,” he said.

Dickson added that only successful candidates would proceed to the party secretariat for documentation and payment of nomination fees.

He said the party had deployed teams made up of senior officials to states to conduct the primaries with support from stakeholders and local leaders.

The former governor also urged aspirants and party officials to avoid violence during the exercise, noting that “the party will take serious action against anyone who resorts to violence, threats, intimidation, or disorderly conduct.”

Dickson said the primaries would hold on May 28 and 29 through a manual process because the party could not fully deploy its planned electronic system due to limited time.

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