A faction of Nigeria’s main opposition party, the People’s Democratic Party aligned with Nyesom Wike, has announced a new schedule for its primary elections alongside a significant increase in nomination form fees for aspirants.
According to details released by the faction, the cost of the presidential nomination form has been pegged at ₦51 million, while governorship aspirants are required to pay ₦21 million. Other categories include ₦6 million for Senate seats, ₦4 million for the House of Representatives, and ₦3 million for State House of Assembly positions.
The sale of nomination forms is scheduled to run from April 27 to May 4, 2026, setting the stage for a tightly packed primary calendar later in the month.
Under the timetable, the presidential primary is slated for May 17–18, followed by House of Representatives primaries on May 21 and Senate primaries on May 23. State House of Assembly primaries are expected to take place on May 25, while the governorship primaries will conclude the exercise on May 27.
The announcement comes amid ongoing internal divisions within the PDP, with rival factions continuing to jostle for control and legitimacy ahead of upcoming electoral contests.
There has been no immediate response from the party’s national leadership regarding the parallel arrangements announced by the Wike-aligned bloc.
