NDC Opens Its Books, Dares APC to Do the Same as 2027 Campaign Council Takes Shape.

ABUJA: The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) is putting its money on the table and daring the ruling party to show its own.

At its 3rd National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting in Abuja today, the party is unveiling its National Campaign Council and presenting its statement of accounts. It is also challenging the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to make its campaign finances public.

The message is clear: The NDC wants Nigerians to see transparency as the dividing line in the 2027 race.

A bold move on money

Campaign finance is one of the most guarded subjects in Nigerian politics. Voters rarely see how much parties raise, who funds them, or how the money is spent. By opening its accounts before the campaign begins, the NDC is betting that honesty will win more trust than any slogan.

The challenge to the APC is also strategic. The APC holds 31 of Nigeria's 36 state governors and leads the federal government under President Bola Tinubu, so it has by far the largest political machine in the country. Asking it to match the NDC's openness puts the ruling party on the spot.

The financial question the NDC had to answer

The accounts also answer a question that had followed the party for weeks. As the campaign council was delayed, some critics suggested the party was short of funds. The NDC's National Publicity Secretary, Osa Director, dismissed that claim and said the party was under no obligation to match the APC's pace, adding that the council would be announced after consultation with stakeholders.

Today's meeting is the party's chance to settle the matter with figures.

The faces behind the campaign

The council's unveiling follows intense consultations among the party's top leaders. Presidential candidate Peter Obi, running mate Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso and National Leader Seriake Dickson met repeatedly in recent weeks to build a united national campaign structure.

The NDC has grown quickly. Obi and Kwankwaso moved to the party from the ADC, and 20 National Assembly members defected in a single week. That momentum brings pressure with it. A large new coalition must prove it can work as one team, and the campaign council is the first real test.

Why it matters for voters

Nigerians are tired of promises that vanish after election day. A party that publishes its accounts invites scrutiny, and scrutiny is what voters have long asked for.

The big question now is whether the APC will respond. If it stays silent, the NDC gains a talking point it can use all the way to 2027. If the APC does open its books, Nigerians win either way.

The 2027 campaign has not formally started, but today's meeting may already have set one of its main themes: who has nothing to hide?