Akahi News learnt that the All Progressives Congress has announced that members aspiring to contest its 2027 presidential primary will pay N30 million for the expression of interest form and N70 million for the nomination form—a total of N100 million just to appear on the primary ballot.

Governorship aspirants are not left out of the steep financial demands. They are to pay N10 million for the expression of interest form and N40 million for the nomination form, totalling N50 million. For senatorial aspirants, the combined cost is N20 million (N3m interest + N17m nomination). House of Representatives aspirants will pay N10 million (N1m + N9m), while House of Assembly aspirants will pay N5 million (N1m + N4m).

When a political party demands N100 million from anyone who wants to run for president, what kind of leaders does that produce? And more importantly, what kind of citizens are left on the sidelines?

APC Releases Full Timetable for 2027 Primaries

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

According to the document, the notice of election to state chapters is fixed 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 have been 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. Election appeals are also scheduled, with Sunday, May 24, for the House of Assembly, and Monday, May 25, for governorship, House of Representatives and Senate.

It was alleged that the party’s decision has drawn sharp criticism from political analysts who argue that such high fees monetise the democratic process and shut out ordinary Nigerians from political participation.

Reacting to the development, 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.

Analysts Condemn Monetisation of Politics

Another political analyst, Professor Kamilu Fage, was equally critical. “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.”

Professor Fage urged Nigerians to understand what is happening, get their voter cards, and vote people not on the basis of political affiliations but on character and competence.

Jackson added, “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?”

He warned that some aspirants will have to borrow, and by the time they get into office, the first thing they do is begin to appease those who lent them money. “The APC and other political parties doing this have literally monetised our democratic process,” he said.

Akahi News had earlier reported on the high cost of nomination forms across political parties in Nigeria. The problem is not unique to the APC. The Peoples Democratic Party and other major parties have similarly high fees. But that does not make it right. It only means the entire political class is complicit in a system that prices out the poor.

It is not a child’s play to raise N100 million for a presidential nomination form. That money does not grow on trees. It comes from somewhere—and too often, it comes from sources that expect favours in return. A president who owes N100 million in political debts is not a free leader. He is a man with strings attached.

The APC’s timetable is clear. The fees are set. The countdown to the primaries has begun. But the deeper question remains: what kind of democracy charges its citizens millions just to stand for election?

Until that question is answered honestly, Nigeria’s political space will remain the playground of the wealthy. And the common man? He will keep watching from the outside, wondering why his voice never seems to matter.

Key Summary Box

What happened: The APC released its timetable and fee schedule for the 2027 primaries, with presidential aspirants paying N100m (N30m interest + N70m nomination) and governorship aspirants paying N50m (N10m + N40m).
Other fees: Senate: N20m; House of Reps: N10m; House of Assembly: N5m.
Key dates: Form sales run April 25 to May 2, 2026. Submission deadline: May 4. Primaries: May 16-22. Appeals: May 24-25.
Analysts’ reactions: Omenazu Jackson and Prof. Kamilu Fage condemned the monetisation of politics, arguing it shuts out ordinary Nigerians and favours the highest bidder.
Why it matters to Nigerians: High nomination fees perpetuate a political system dominated by the wealthy, increasing the risk of corruption and reducing accountability.
Bottom line: The APC has set its price for power. Presidential ambition now costs N100m. The question Nigerians must ask is: who can afford that—and what will they demand in return?