The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), under the leadership of Abdulrahman Mohammed, has approved a comprehensive timetable and fee structure ahead of the 2027 general elections, fixing ₦51 million as the total cost for its presidential nomination process.
The announcement was made on Wednesday by the party’s National Organising Secretary, Umar Bature, through an official schedule released to journalists. According to the document, aspirants vying for the PDP presidential ticket will pay ₦50 million for the nomination form and ₦1 million for the expression of interest form, bringing the total to ₦51 million. Governorship aspirants, on the other hand, are expected to pay a combined ₦21 million.
The party outlined a detailed timeline for its activities, beginning with the submission of its membership register to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on April 21, 2026. This will be followed by formal notification to the electoral body of its planned primaries on April 22.
Sales of nomination forms are scheduled to commence on April 27 and will close on May 4, while the deadline for submission of completed forms has been fixed for May 9.
A breakdown of the fees shows that all aspirants across various offices are required to pay ₦1 million for the expression of interest form. Nomination fees vary depending on the office sought: aspirants for State Houses of Assembly will pay ₦2 million, those contesting for the House of Representatives ₦3 million, Senate aspirants ₦5 million, governorship aspirants ₦20 million, and presidential hopefuls ₦50 million.
Screening exercises for State Assembly, National Assembly, and governorship aspirants will take place on May 11, while presidential aspirants will be screened a day later on May 12.
The party has fixed May 18 for its presidential primary election, with governorship primaries scheduled for May 27. Primaries for the House of Representatives are set for May 21, Senate primaries for May 23, and State Houses of Assembly primaries will be conducted between May 21 and May 24. All appeals arising from the primaries are expected to be resolved by May 30, 2026.
In a move aimed at encouraging inclusivity, the PDP stated that female aspirants will only be required to pay the ₦1 million expression of interest fee, regardless of the office they intend to contest.
The development comes against the backdrop of an ongoing internal crisis within the party, which has resulted in a split into two factions. One faction is led by Tanimu Turaki and is supported by Seyi Makinde and Bala Mohammed. The rival faction is headed by Abdulrahman Mohammed and reportedly has the backing of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
Several legal disputes arising from the leadership tussle are currently before the courts. At the Supreme Court of Nigeria, justices on Wednesday indicated that a date for judgment on the matter would be communicated to the parties involved.
