KEY POINTS

• Peter Obi was cleared by the NDC screening committee to contest its 2027 presidential primary.
• The committee confirmed he met all constitutional and party requirements after a detailed vetting process.
• He currently appears to be the sole presidential aspirant in the NDC ahead of the primaries.

The Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, has officially cleared former Anambra State governor Peter Obi to contest its presidential primary ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The clearance was announced by the Chairman of the party’s National Screening Committee, Senator Sam Egwu, a former governor of Ebonyi State, during a screening exercise held in Abuja on Tuesday.

The announcement was later shared via the party’s official X account, confirming Obi’s eligibility to proceed in the party’s internal selection process

According to Senator Egwu, the screening committee carefully reviewed Obi’s credentials and found that he met all constitutional and statutory requirements required to contest for the office of President under both the party’s rules and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

He stated that the committee was satisfied after examining Obi’s documents and responses during the screening session, which included questions on eligibility and leadership vision.

Egwu further confirmed that Peter Obi had been cleared to participate in the party’s presidential primary election, which will be scheduled at a later date.

Obi describes screening process as thorough and transparent

Following the exercise, Peter Obi confirmed via his official X account that the screening process lasted over two and a half hours.

He explained that his academic records, NYSC credentials, age declaration documents, and other qualifications were thoroughly examined by the committee.

Obi also noted that he was asked questions relating to his vision for Nigeria and the type of leadership he intends to promote if elected president.

He expressed appreciation to the screening committee for what he described as a transparent and credible process, adding that he was satisfied with the professionalism displayed throughout the exercise.

Party closes presidential form sales but extends other nomination deadlines
The development comes after the NDC announced the closure of sales of expression of interest and nomination forms for the presidential race.

However, the party later extended the deadline for other elective positions, including governorship, senatorial, House of Representatives, and state assembly seats, giving aspirants additional time to complete their applications.

According to the party’s timetable, screening of aspirants began on May 19 and is expected to run through May 26, 2026, while the collection and submission of nomination forms for cleared aspirants is also ongoing within the same period.

Party officials stated that the adjustment was made to ensure smoother coordination of the nomination process across all elective positions. With his clearance, Peter Obi currently stands as the only known presidential aspirant of the NDC, following the closure of the party’s presidential nomination sales.

Party insiders indicate that no other candidate has formally emerged for the presidential ticket at this stage, making Obi the leading figure in the party’s 2027 presidential contest process so far.

The screening outcome is expected to shape early political dynamics within the NDC as preparations for internal primaries continue ahead of the general elections.