NDC Defies Eid-el-Kabir Disruptions, Insists May 29 Primaries Will Hold Nationwide

Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has reaffirmed that its presidential, governorship, National Assembly, and state assembly primaries will proceed nationwide on May 29, despite logistical disruptions caused by the Eid-el-Kabir holidays.

In a statement issued on Wednesday in Abuja, the party’s National Chairman, Senator Moses Cleopas, explained that transportation challenges including flight unavailability have left many aspirants and screening committee members stranded in Abuja after the screening exercise.

To address this, Cleopas announced that May 28 will now be dedicated to arrivals, documentation with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies, consultative meetings, and other preparatory activities ahead of the primaries.

Party teams deployed to the states are also expected to use May 28 for engagements with stakeholders, elders, and aspirants.

However, Cleopas warned that no state institution or security agency including the Police, DSS, or INEC is permitted to participate in any of the May 28 activities, adding that any action outside the approved guidelines would be considered illegal and unauthorized.

The chairman outlined the sequence for the May 29 exercises as follows: presidential affirmation, National Assembly primaries or affirmations, state assembly primaries or affirmations, and governorship primaries or affirmations.

The NDC further directed that all results from the states must be collated and transmitted to the party’s national headquarters for announcement by the National Working Committee.

“No state executive or team has the mandate to announce any results,” the statement emphasized.

Cleopas appealed to members and aspirants to remain peaceful and orderly, stressing that the party would not tolerate violence, disorderly conduct, or hooliganism during the primaries.