The All Progressives Congress has said members aspiring to contest its 2027 presidential primary will pay N30m and N70m for the expression of interest and nomination forms, respectively.

Also, governorship aspirants are to pay N10m for the expression of interest form and N40m for the nomination form as the country prepares for the general election next year.

The APC made this known in a two-page document containing the schedule of activities and timetable for the 2027 general elections, signed by the party’s National Organising Secretary, Sulaimon Arugungu, on Saturday.

According to the document, aspirants seeking senatorial seats will pay N3m for the expression of interest form and N17m for the nomination form to appear on the primary election ballot. House of Representatives aspirants will pay N1m for the expression of interest form and N9m for the nomination form.

Meanwhile, House of Assembly aspirants will pay N1m for the expression of interest form and N4m for the nomination form.

It read, “In accordance with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), the Electoral Act 2026, and the Independent National Electoral Commission’s revised timetable and schedule of activities for the 2027 general elections, I hereby present a proposed timetable and schedule of activities for the conduct of the 2027 general elections to the National Chairman/National Working Committee accordingly.”

Reacting to the development, a political analyst, Omenazu Jackson, slammed the ruling class for monetising politics and making it difficult for ordinary Nigerians to participate.

“This is the reason we should rejig our political makeup and approach in Nigeria. We should ask ourselves where the N100m is coming from,” he said.

Apart from the prices of the forms, the ruling party also released the schedule of activities leading to the election.

While it fixed the notice of election to state chapters for Monday, April 20, 2026, the sale of forms will commence at the national secretariat from Saturday, April 25, to Saturday, May 2, 2026.

Aspirants were given Monday, May 4, 2026, as the deadline for the submission of completed forms and accompanying documents.

The Party slated the House of Assembly primaries for Saturday, May 16; governorship, Monday, May 18; House of Representatives, Wednesday, May 20; and Senate, Friday, May 22, all in 2026.

It also fixed dates for election appeals, with Sunday, May 24, 2026, for the House of Assembly, and Monday, May 25, 2026, for the governorship, House of Representatives and Senate.

Reacting, another political analyst, Prof Kamilu Fage, said, “This is undemocratic, in the sense that it unduly extends favour to the highest bidder. It means that people without such money cannot even contest. By implication, democracy is no longer by the people and for the people, but by the rich and for the rich.

“It is for the people to understand what is happening now, get their voter cards and vote people not on the basis of political affiliations.”

Also reacting, Jackson said, “This is the reason why we should check our method of democratic approach in Nigeria. Where is N100m coming from? If a party believes in democratic tenets, why would it not sponsor a candidate rather than ask for N100m?

“Some of them have to borrow, but by the time they get into office, the first thing is to begin to appease those who lent them money. The APC and other political parties doing this have literally monetised our democratic process.” (Sunday PUNCH)

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