The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC)says financial hardship prevented about 80 per cent of its candidates from paying for nomination forms, prompting the party to issue them free as it prepares to unveil its national campaign structure and disclose its accounts.
The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) will hold its third National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting on Monday, October 26, in Abuja, where it plans to present its candidates with Certificates of Return, unveil its National Campaign Council and release its statement of account.
The meeting is scheduled for 10 a.m. at JD Event Centre, Kashim Ibrahim Way, opposite A-Class Park, Maitama, according to a statement issued on Saturday by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Osa Director.
The announcement places the party’s finances at the centre of its preparations for the 2027 general elections, particularly its claim that most of its candidates could not afford the Expression of Interest forms required to pursue their respective offices.
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Free forms expose the cost of political participation
The NDC attributed its financial difficulties to poverty, hunger and economic hardship, which it blamed on the policies of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
According to the party, approximately 80 per cent of its candidates received the forms without payment because they could not afford the fees.
However, the statement did not disclose the total number of affected candidates, the cost of each form, the overall value of the waivers or the amount the party spent to support them. It also offered no breakdown of its income or expenditure ahead of the proposed financial disclosure.
These figures would help establish the scale of the intervention and show how the party intends to finance its campaign activities.
The NDC said it would present its statement of account during the NEC meeting as evidence of its commitment to transparency and accountability. It also challenged other political parties, particularly the APC, to disclose their financial records.
“For the NDC, it is no longer politics as usual,” the statement declared.
Campaign structure meets financial scrutiny
The party’s proposed National Campaign Council will cover presidential, National Assembly, governorship and state assembly campaigns. Candidates will also receive Certificates of Return for their respective offices.
The unveiling marks an organisational step towards the next election cycle, but the size of a campaign structure does not necessarily translate into electoral strength. Funding, candidate visibility, grassroots organisation and the ability to persuade voters will help determine the party’s reach.
The planned financial disclosure could also give Nigerians an opportunity to assess how the NDC raises and allocates its resources. A statement of account, however, will be more informative if it includes clear figures, reporting periods and explanations of major income and expenditure items.
The party has yet to publish those details in the announcement.
For voters, the central issue is whether the NDC can turn its promise of financial openness into a consistent practice while building a competitive campaign.
Its October 26 meeting will therefore carry two tests: whether the party can organise its candidates under a national campaign framework and whether its promised accounts provide enough detail to support its claims of transparency.
The NDC concluded its statement with the slogan, “A New Nigeria is Possible. We can do it!” Its next challenge is to demonstrate how its financial commitments and campaign plans will translate into practical political action.
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