The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has confirmed that its nationwide primary elections will still take place on May 29, 2026, despite transportation and travel difficulties caused by the Eid-el-Kabir holiday season.
The party announced that all primaries for presidential, governorship, National Assembly, and State House of Assembly positions will be conducted across the country on the same day as earlier planned. According to party officials, preparations for the primaries were affected by heavy travel disruptions linked to the Eid-el-Kabir celebrations. Many aspirants, party delegates, election officials, and support staff reportedly faced difficulties moving between states due to limited flight availability, increased passenger traffic, and delays in interstate transportation.
Several individuals involved in the exercise were said to have remained stranded in Abuja after the party’s screening process because of transportation problems during the holiday period.
Despite the challenges, the NDC leadership said there would be no postponement of the primaries, insisting that the party remains fully prepared to carry out the nationwide exercise as scheduled. To ensure smooth coordination before the primaries begin, the party approved May 28, 2026, as a day dedicated to internal planning and organizational activities.
According to the NDC, today will be used for the movement and coordination of aspirants and delegates, documentation and verification exercises, consultations with party stakeholders, and final administrative arrangements at both national and regional levels. The party explained that all activities scheduled for May 28 are strictly internal and meant to strengthen preparations ahead of the main voting exercise.
The NDC stated that the primaries on May 29 will follow a structured process nationwide.
The order of activities includes:
- Presidential affirmation
- National Assembly primaries
- State House of Assembly primaries
- Governorship primaries
The party also explained that results from every state will be forwarded directly to the national headquarters for central collation and official documentation. The NDC stressed that only the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) has the authority to officially announce the results of the primaries.Party leaders warned that no state executive, local committee, or regional structure is allowed to declare results independently under any condition. According to the leadership, this measure is intended to promote transparency, prevent confusion, and ensure that all results pass through a unified national collation process before public announcement. The party also clarified that security agencies and external institutions will not participate in the internal consultations scheduled for May 28. The NDC specifically mentioned the Nigeria Police Force, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and the Department of State Services (DSS), stating that any participation outside officially approved procedures would not be recognized by the party. The party urged all aspirants, delegates, and supporters to conduct themselves peacefully throughout the primary elections. The leadership warned against electoral violence, intimidation, hooliganism, and any actions capable of disrupting the process. Party officials encouraged members to follow party guidelines and cooperate with electoral committees to ensure a successful and peaceful exercise nationwide. The statement confirming the primaries was signed by the National Chairman of the party, Senator Moses Cleopas, and the National Secretary, Barrister Ikenna Alex-Morgan Enekweizu. The NDC leadership said it remains committed to conducting transparent, fair, and credible primaries despite the logistical difficulties caused by the festive travel period. Political observers are expected to increased political activities across the country in the coming days as aspirants intensify consultations and mobilization efforts ahead of the nationwide exercise.