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‘Open Books to Public’ – NDC Challenges APC, ADC, Others, Declares N8.5bn Revenue, N2.4bn Spending in Seven Months
‘Open Books to Public’ – NDC Challenges APC, ADC, Others, Declares N8.5bn Revenue, N2.4bn Spending in Seven Months
NDC challenges APC, ADC and other political parties to open their financial records to public scrutiny after declaring N8.53bn in revenue and N2.4bn in expenditure within seven months.
National Chairman Moses Cleopas says the disclosure ahead of the party’s first anniversary is aimed at promoting accountability to members.
Senator Victor Umeh puts the party’s remaining funds at more than N6bn and calls for equitable allocation of resources to state chapters.
Party reviews reconciliation efforts with aggrieved aspirants and assures members that omissions of some candidates’ names from INEC records are being addressed.
October 27, () – The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has challenged the All Progressives Congress (APC), African Democratic Congress (ADC) and other political parties to open their financial records to public scrutiny, declaring that it generated N8.53 billion and spent N2.4 billion within seven months.
The NDC said it generated N8,529,632,438.77 from the sale of nomination forms, contributions from supporters, dues and levies, while spending N2,402,461,479.77 on party activities, including primaries, publicity, salaries and other organisational expenses.
National Chairman of NDC, Moses Cleopas disclosed the figures on Monday at the party’s third National Executive Council (NEC) meeting in Abuja, saying the decision reflected the leadership’s commitment to transparency and accountability in the management of party resources.
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Cleopas said the party decided to disclose its financial position before its first anniversary to enable members to understand how their collective resources were being managed.
He stressed that the decision was not prompted by allegations circulating on social media but was part of efforts to make accountability a defining principle of the party’s administration.
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“We are not up to one year. That will be after our presidential elections. But just because of what we are coming out from, we, the managers of the party, feel that in a network like this, even as we are not going into details, people must know what we are and how we are functioning and how we are managing.
“It is therefore the right and opportunity of every individual member to hear and to know what we are doing with our common resources,” he said.
The NDC chairman explained that although political parties were required to submit their financial reports to the relevant government institutions at the end of each financial year, the party considered it necessary to account to its members ahead of the statutory deadline.
He said the NDC would submit its properly audited accounts to the constitutionally authorised institutions when due.
Cleopas also disclosed that the party had a financial committee comprising the national chairman, national secretary, financial secretary, treasurer and auditor, with the legal adviser participating when necessary.
He clarified that the account covered by the disclosure was dedicated to election-related activities and did not represent the account used for the party’s general administration.
The disclosure attracted commendation from Senator Victor Umeh, who represents Anambra Central in the Senate and is a member of the party’s NEC.
Umeh said the presentation demonstrated transparency and enabled members to understand the party’s financial position rather than rely on speculation.
“Because there is no way to be transparent except by demonstrating it,” he said, adding that the disclosure showed that the party’s managers were prepared to be held accountable for the resources entrusted to them.
“From what we have been told here, I am so happy that going home I now know that what people say undercover may not have any basis. Because the party has now told us how much they got as inflow within the period under consideration and how much they have spent in running the affairs of the party within the period, though with details to be given when the proper accounting is done,” he said.
Umeh, a former national chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), put the party’s remaining funds at more than N6 billion, describing the balance as seed money for its operations and forthcoming campaign activities.
“The six billion that we have is seed money for the operations of this party. We know that we have a lot to do,” he said.
The senator said the funds had come from contributions by party members but noted that the NDC would require additional support to meet its obligations as it prepared for the 2027 general elections.
He appealed to the national leadership to return an appropriate percentage of funds raised from state chapters to the respective states to enable them to establish offices and undertake activities to improve the party’s visibility.
Responding, Cleopas said the allocation of resources to state chapters was already on the agenda of the national leadership. He assured members that the states would receive their legitimate share in accordance with the party’s constitution and objectives.
The chairman also clarified that the call for accountability by the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, was not directed specifically at him or the NDC leadership but was a broader challenge to those managing Nigeria’s resources.
According to Cleopas, Obi had emphasised that the debate ahead of the 2027 general elections should focus not only on individuals but also on what those entrusted with public resources had done with the money.
“The question is, let them come and tell us what they have used our money, Nigeria’s money, to do, and explain to us how it has been beneficial to the citizens of this country,” Cleopas said, recounting Obi’s position.
The NDC chairman extended the challenge to public office holders and those managing the national economy, urging them to account for their stewardship and explain how government expenditure had benefited Nigerians.
He said transparency was necessary to sustain public confidence, warning that concealing information about the management of funds could breed suspicion and create room for unfounded allegations.
“When you have a responsibility to sit over a public fund, to be open to them, they must know what you are doing,” he said.
The NEC meeting also reviewed the report of its second meeting, held on June 3, 2026, and received updates on efforts to reconcile aspirants dissatisfied with the outcomes of the party’s primaries.
Cleopas said the reconciliation committee had visited the various geopolitical zones to engage aggrieved aspirants, while regular meetings at the national secretariat were continuing to resolve disagreements and strengthen party unity.
He urged members to place the collective interest of the party above personal ambitions, saying the NDC could not afford to disappoint Nigerians looking to it for political change.
The chairman further assured members that the omission of some candidates’ names from the records of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was being addressed and would soon be resolved.
Those who attended the meeting included Obi; the party’s vice-presidential candidate, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso; National Leader, Senator Henry Seriake Dickson; Cleopas; Umeh; Senator Tony Nwoye; former Ebonyi State Governor Sam Egwu; former Adamawa governorship candidate Aisha Binani; and former lawmakers Omo Agege, Nkechi Nwogu and Clever Ikisikpo.
Other attendees included national party leaders, officials, and state chairmen.
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