Major opposition parties, including the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Labour Party (LP), African Democratic Congress (ADC), and the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), are reportedly leaning toward choosing their 2027 presidential candidates through consensus.

This strategic shift follows the enactment of the Electoral Act 2026, which abolished indirect primaries (delegate systems), leaving parties with only two options: direct primaries or consensus.

High-ranking officials within these parties revealed that the high cost of organizing direct primaries across all 774 local government areas is a major concern.

Stakeholders argue that conducting nationwide direct primaries would drain their financial resources before the actual general elections begin.

By opting for consensus, the parties hope to preserve their “war chests” for the main battle against the ruling party.

Some opposition leaders have described the new electoral law as a “trap” set by the ruling APC to weaken them.

They claim that while the ruling party often has clear paths for its incumbents, opposition parties face multiple aspirants for single seats.

Forcing these aspirants into expensive direct primaries could lead to internal friction and financial exhaustion.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) recently released a revised timetable, setting April 23 to May 30, 2026, as the window for party primaries.

With the clock ticking, parties are already digitizing their membership registers to meet the 21-day submission deadline.

While the ADC and NNPP are actively working to unify their heavy-weight aspirants, the Labour Party noted that consensus would reduce the “monetization” of politics.

The goal is to present a single, formidable candidate that reflects the will of the members without the chaos of a full-scale internal election.