By Our Correspondent

National News – The All Progressives Congress (APC) has introduced a revised fee structure for aspirants seeking elective offices ahead of the 2027 general elections in Nigeria.

The announcement, released in Abuja in April 2026, affects presidential, governorship, senatorial, House of Representatives, and House of Assembly candidates.

According to the party’s schedule signed by the National Organising Secretary, Sulaimon Arugungu, presidential aspirants will pay N30m for expression of interest and N70m for nomination forms, while governorship candidates will pay N10m and N40m respectively.

Senatorial aspirants are set at N3m for expression of interest and N17m for nomination, while House of Representatives candidates will pay N1m and N9m respectively, and House of Assembly aspirants N1m and N4m.

It further states that sales of forms will run from April 25 to May 2, 2026, with submission deadline fixed for May 4, while primaries are scheduled between May 16 and May 22 across different elective categories.

Analysts have criticised the development, describing it as a monetisation of democracy that could limit participation by ordinary Nigerians, while the APC insists the policy aligns with electoral guidelines and party administration needs.

This policy has generated widespread debate among political analysts and civil society groups, who argue that the rising cost of political participation may deepen inequality in Nigeria’s democratic process.

Critics warn that high fees could discourage young aspirants and reinforce elite dominance, while supporters believe it may reduce frivolous candidacies and strengthen party financing.

The APC timetable also sets strict deadlines for form sales, submissions, primaries, and appeals, signalling a structured preparation for the 2027 elections across all levels of government.