Confusion and uncertainty have continued to trail the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) following its failure to officially announce the results of its nationwide primary elections held ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The party conducted primaries across the country last week to select candidates for various elective positions and subsequently convened a meeting of its National Executive Council (NEC) to deliberate on the exercise and related issues.
However, days after the primaries, the delay in releasing the official results has fueled speculation among party members, aspirants, and political observers regarding the outcome of the exercise.
The NDC had earlier distanced itself from several purported results circulating on social media, insisting that only the National Executive Council has the authority to announce the outcome of the primaries.
In a statement, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Osa Director, urged the public to disregard unofficial results.
“The general public is hereby urged to disregard the various results circulating on social media as the outcome of the nationwide primaries conducted by the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, on the 28th and 29th of May, 2026.
“The results of the primaries are with the National Executive Council, NEC, of our great party. They are solely responsible for announcements of results,” he stated.
The party also assured members and stakeholders that the final list of candidates would be released after the completion of internal ratification processes and before submission to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Despite the assurance, concerns continue to mount across the party’s ranks as aspirants and supporters await official confirmation of candidates in several constituencies and districts.
One aspirant, who spoke on condition of anonymity, disclosed that he has remained in Abuja since the conclusion of the primaries in an effort to obtain firsthand information on developments within the party.
According to him, several other aspirants have also relocated to the Federal Capital Territory for the same reason.
Political observers have argued that the delay has raised concerns about transparency, internal democracy, and the party’s capacity to effectively manage a major electoral process following its rapid expansion across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
In Anambra State, an aspirant for the Awka South Constituency II seat in the State House of Assembly, Chinedu Raymond Obue, called on the party to respect the outcome of the primary election conducted on May 29.
Obue maintained that the exercise, held at Umuzocha Hall in Awka, was free, fair, and transparent.
He claimed that he secured 625 votes while his opponent, Sam Chuks Okpanduka, polled 73 votes.
According to him, video evidence exists to support the credibility of the exercise.
“The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) must uphold the wishes of the people and resist any attempt to compromise this victory,” he said.
Meanwhile, an aggrieved party official from the South East criticised the handling of the primary elections, warning that the process could trigger internal disputes and legal challenges if not properly managed.
The official alleged that although winners emerged from the primaries in several states, the delay in announcing results was linked to efforts by party leaders to favour preferred aspirants.
He further criticised the establishment of what he described as a “selection committee” after the primaries had already been conducted, arguing that such a process undermines democratic principles and the will of party members.
According to him, replacing the outcome of elections with decisions made by a committee could create significant unrest within the party and ultimately damage its credibility.
He warned that any attempt to substitute candidates who emerged from the primaries with preferred individuals could lead to litigation and internal divisions.
“It is unfortunate because people expected NDC to actually set an example.
“At the end of the day, it is ending up with the same kind of brigandage witnessed when other parties did their primaries,” he said.
However, one of the governorship aspirants who emerged from the primaries, Prof. James Ene Nwannaji of Enugu State, dismissed concerns that the outcome of the exercise could be altered.
Speaking on the development, Ene Nwannaji said the governorship primary was conducted across the 17 local government areas of Enugu State under the supervision of party officials and monitoring by INEC.
He expressed confidence that the process complied with all legal requirements and maintained that there was no basis for altering the outcome.
“Well, the primaries for governorship took place last week, Friday, and took place in the 17 local governments areas that make up Enugu State. It was duly conducted by the executives of the parties, monitored by INEC, and I emerged as the winner.
“I’m not agitated either. The party will come up any day they conclude studying the report. If there’s question to ask, they will ask. But it is better they do the due diligence,” he said.
Efforts to obtain a reaction from Yunusa Tanko, Coordinator of the Obidient Movement, were unsuccessful. He indicated he was in a meeting at the time and would respond later, but had not done so as of the time of filing this report.
As anticipation continues to build, party members across the country remain focused on the expected release of the official results, which many believe will determine the next phase of the NDC’s political journey ahead of the 2027 elections.
