By CHARLES CHIJIOKE
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has announced a revised schedule for its 2026 primary elections alongside updated nomination fees, a move the party says is the product of “extensive consultations” with stakeholders nationwide as political alignments gradually build toward the 2027 general elections.
According to a press statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the party fixed May 6 to May 13, 2026, for the purchase and submission of nomination forms, with the final deadline falling on May 13. Screening of aspirants will follow immediately on May 14 and May 15, while results are expected on May 17.
The party also created a narrow window for appeals between May 18 and May 19, before publishing the final list of cleared aspirants on May 20.
Under the timetable, legislative primaries covering State Houses of Assembly, the House of Representatives, and the Senate are scheduled for May 21, while governorship primaries will hold on May 22. The presidential primary is slated for May 23, ahead of a National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting on May 25 and a Special National Convention on May 26.
The ADC also confirmed a new pricing structure for nomination forms, pegging the presidential form at ₦90 million, governorship at ₦30 million, Senate at ₦10 million, House of Representatives at ₦5 million, and State Assembly at ₦2 million. Despite the high costs, the party retained its concessionary policy, offering “a 50 percent discount for youth aspirants between the ages of 18 and 35, and a 25 percent discount for women and persons living with disabilities.”
The party said the adjustments “reflect the outcome of broad-based consultations aimed at strengthening internal democracy, improving access, and ensuring that the ADC continues to provide a credible and inclusive platform for political participation.”
The revised fees and compressed timetable are likely to trigger mixed reactions within Nigeria’s political space. While the discounts signal an attempt to widen participation among underrepresented groups, the steep nomination costs—especially the ₦90 million presidential ticket—could still limit entry to wealthy aspirants or those backed by strong political financiers. This tension underscores a broader challenge across Nigerian parties, where the balance between revenue generation and democratic inclusiveness remains contested.
Politically, the early scheduling of primaries may give the ADC a strategic advantage by allowing it to resolve internal contests and present candidates ahead of rival parties, potentially strengthening its visibility and coalition-building efforts before the 2027 polls. However, the tight timelines for screening and appeals could also raise concerns about transparency or disputes if aggrieved aspirants feel shortchanged.
With Nigeria’s political landscape already witnessing shifting alliances and internal party recalibrations, the ADC’s latest move positions it as one of the early actors setting the pace for the next electoral cycle, even as scrutiny mounts over how inclusive and competitive its process will ultimately be.
The statement urged all aspirants and stakeholders to comply strictly with the updated guidelines, reiterating the party’s commitment to conducting orderly primaries and presenting credible candidates to Nigerians.
