A faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), led by Kabiru Turaki, has released its timetable and guidelines for the party’s 2026 primary elections, setting the cost of its presidential nomination form at N100 million.
The decision was announced by the interim National Executive Committee (NEC) of the faction, which also approved a detailed schedule for pre-election activities leading up to the party primaries.
According to a statement signed by the National Publicity Secretary of the interim National Working Committee, Ini Ememobong, the sale of expression of interest and nomination forms will begin on May 5 and end on May 13, 2026.
The statement explained that the timetable was designed to guide party members interested in contesting various elective positions, ranging from state assemblies to the presidency.
“The NEC considered and approved the timetable for pre-election activities and guidelines for the party,” the statement said.
Under the schedule, aspirants are expected to submit completed forms on or before May 14, 2026. This will be followed by the screening of aspirants between May 15 and May 18, while appeals arising from the screening exercise will be heard on May 21.
The party will then publish the list of cleared aspirants on May 22, ahead of the ward primaries fixed for May 27. Appeals from the primaries are scheduled for May 28, while the NEC will meet on May 29 to approve all nominated candidates.
The process will end with a special convention on May 30, where candidates will be formally ratified.
The timetable signals the readiness of the Turaki-led faction of the Peoples Democratic Party to begin preparations for future elections, even as internal disagreements continue to affect the party at the national level.
One of the major highlights of the announcement is the cost attached to the nomination forms, especially for the presidential ticket. According to the guidelines, the expression of interest form for the presidency is priced at N10 million, while the nomination form costs N90 million, bringing the total to N100 million.
For governorship aspirants, the expression of interest form is pegged at N5 million, while the nomination form costs N35 million.
Those seeking to contest for Senate seats are expected to pay N3 million for expression of interest and N7 million for nomination forms. For the House of Representatives, the fees are set at N2 million and N5 million respectively.
At the state level, aspirants for the House of Assembly will pay N500,000 for expression of interest and N1.5 million for nomination forms.
The party also announced concessions for certain groups. Women aspirants are exempted from paying for nomination forms and are only required to purchase expression of interest forms. In addition, youths and persons living with disabilities are to pay 50 per cent of the nomination form fees for any office they wish to contest.
The announcement comes at a time when the PDP is facing internal challenges, including leadership disputes and factional divisions. The emergence of a Turaki-led interim leadership structure reflects ongoing efforts by some members to reposition the party ahead of future elections.
The PDP, once Nigeria’s ruling party from 1999 to 2015, has remained one of the country’s major opposition parties. However, it has struggled in recent years with internal conflicts, defections, and disagreements over leadership and party direction.
The issue of nomination fees has also remained a subject of public debate in Nigeria’s political space. Critics argue that high fees discourage young and capable Nigerians from participating in politics, while supporters say the system helps political parties manage the large number of aspirants that often show interest in elective positions.
For many Nigerians, the announcement by the Turaki-led faction raises questions about the unity of the PDP and how the different factions will reconcile their differences ahead of major elections.
As the May 5 date for the commencement of form sales approaches, attention will likely focus on how many aspirants will show interest, especially for the presidential ticket, and whether the party can manage its internal challenges.
For now, the timetable provides a clear roadmap for the faction’s planned activities, marking an important step in its preparations for the political contests ahead.