The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has dismissed claims that it is preventing any aspirant from purchasing nomination forms, insisting that there is no internal obstruction in the process. The Interim National Working Committee stated it is not aware of any official action blocking access to forms, adding that recent adjustments to its timetable were made to accommodate more interested aspirants.
Revised Schedule and Clarifications
This announcement was made by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, on Thursday. According to the party, the revised schedule extends the deadline for the purchase and submission of completed forms to Friday, May 22, 2026, while screening for late applicants is set for Saturday, May 23, 2026. “We state clearly that the Interim National Working Committee is not aware of any hindrance by the party through its officials to prevent anybody from purchasing the forms,” Ememobong said.
Zoning Arrangement and Constitutional Rights
The PDP also clarified that its zoning arrangement, which favours the southern region for the presidential ticket, does not prevent qualified Nigerians from contesting. The party stressed that constitutional rights to aspire cannot be overridden by internal party agreements. “It is worth mentioning that though the National Executive Committee of our party had long ago zoned the Presidential ticket to aspirants from the southern part of Nigeria, the right to aspire is a constitutional provision which cannot be circumscribed by directional agreements like zoning,” the statement read.
The party urged the public to disregard reports suggesting exclusion or manipulation of the process, maintaining that nomination forms remain available within the approved timeframe. Aspirants are encouraged to take advantage of the extended deadline to ensure a transparent and inclusive primary election process.
