The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has vowed to do everything necessary to ensure that its candidates omitted from the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) final list are allowed to participate in the 2027 general elections.
The party also faces the challenge of members who may vote for its presidential candidate, Peter Obi, while supporting candidates of other political parties for governorship, National Assembly and state assembly seats.
The development raises concerns about the party’s ability to translate support for its presidential ticket into votes for its candidates across other levels of government.
The NDC’s National Chairman, Senator Moses Cleopas, gave the assurance on Monday at the party’s third National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting in Abuja, pledging that the leadership would take all necessary steps to secure the participation of candidates omitted from INEC’s final list.
Cleopas said the party would not abandon any of its candidates, insisting that it would work to resolve the discrepancies and ensure those affected could contest in the forthcoming elections.
He did not want the affected candidates to be left behind as the party prepared for the 2027 polls.
The issue featured amid broader discussions on the party’s electoral preparations, internal reconciliation and the need to strengthen its structures ahead of the elections.
The chairman disclosed that the party’s reconciliation committee had visited the geopolitical zones to engage aspirants dissatisfied with the outcomes of its primaries.
He said further meetings at the national secretariat were also being used to resolve grievances, strengthen unity and prevent internal disagreements from undermining the party’s preparations.
Cleopas urged members to place the collective interest of the party above personal ambitions, warning that the NDC could not afford to disappoint Nigerians looking to it for political change.
The question of split-ticket voting presents another challenge for the party, as support for Obi’s presidential ambition may not automatically translate into votes for NDC candidates contesting other positions.
For the party, ensuring that its candidates are listed and eligible to contest is a critical step towards building a presence across the ballot. Mobilising members to support the party’s candidates at all levels would also be important to its electoral strategy.
The NEC meeting also heard a financial report showing that the NDC generated ₦8.53 billion in seven months from the sale of nomination forms, contributions, dues and levies, while spending approximately ₦2.40 billion on party activities.
Cleopas said the disclosure was intended to promote accountability and enable members to understand how the party’s resources were being managed before its first anniversary.
He explained that the account covered election-related activities and that the party would submit its properly audited financial statements to the relevant authorities when due.
The chairman also challenged other political parties to demonstrate transparency by opening their financial records to public scrutiny.
Senator Victor Umeh, who represents Anambra Central, commended the disclosure, describing it as a demonstration of accountability that could help build public trust.
He said the party had retained more than ₦6 billion but would require additional resources to finance its operations and campaigns ahead of the 2027 elections.
Umeh also urged the national leadership to allocate an appropriate share of funds to state chapters to enable them to establish offices and strengthen their presence across the country.
Cleopas responded that resource allocation to state chapters was already under consideration, assuring members that funds would be distributed in line with the party’s constitution and objectives.
The meeting was attended by Obi, vice-presidential candidate Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, National Leader Senator Henry Seriake Dickson and other national leaders and state chairmen.
As the 2027 elections approach, the NDC faces the twin tasks of resolving candidate-list issues and strengthening party-wide mobilisation to ensure that support for its presidential ticket extends to its other candidates.