The All Progressives Congress has shifted its presidential primary, originally slated for May 15–16, to May 23, 2026. The governorship primaries will now be held on May 21, 2026, part of a revised timetable for the party’s 2027 general election activities.
APC Deputy National Publicity Secretary Duro Meseko announced the changes at the end of the 186th National Working Committee meeting in Abuja on Thursday, saying adjustments were made to earlier schedules, including the screening of aspirants and the consideration of appeals.
Meseko said the screening of aspirants — initially scheduled for May 6–8, with presidential screening set for May 9 — has been rescheduled and presented the new timetable. He said sales of nomination forms will run from Saturday, April 25 to Saturday, May 2, 2026, and the last day for submission of completed forms and accompanying documents is Monday, May 4, 2026.
Meseko outlined the screening schedule as follows: House of Assembly, House of Representatives, Senate and Governorship screenings will be held Wednesday, May 6 to Friday, May 8, 2026; presidential screening will be held Saturday, May 9, 2026. Publication of screening results for all levels will take place on Monday, May 11, 2026. Screening appeals will be handled by appeal committees from Tuesday, May 12 to Wednesday, May 13, 2026.
He gave the schedule for party primaries as follows: House of Representatives — Friday, May 15, 2026; Senate — Monday, May 18, 2026; State House of Assembly — Wednesday, May 20, 2026; Governorship — Thursday, May 21, 2026; Presidential — Saturday, May 23, 2026.
Post-primary appeal committee sittings were set for: Monday, May 18, 2026 (House of Representatives); Wednesday, May 20, 2026 (Senate); Thursday, May 21, 2026 (State House of Assembly); Saturday, May 23, 2026 (Governorship); and Monday, May 25, 2026 (Presidential).
Meseko added that the NWC adopted the two modes of primaries permitted by the 2026 Electoral Act — direct and consensus — and that aspirants are free to choose. “Where consensus works, it stands, and where an aspirant does not agree to consensus, it automatically reverts to direct primaries,” he said.
He also dismissed rumours that nomination forms would be restricted. “Nomination forms for all aspirants seeking offices under the All Progressives Congress are available to all, not exclusively reserved for any individual,” Meseko said.
On internal congresses in Zamfara State, Meseko said ward, LGA and state congresses will begin Tuesday, April 28, 2026. Screening of aspirants for ward executive positions will follow on Wednesday, April 29; ward congresses will be held on Thursday, April 30; appeals from ward screening and ward congresses will be held on Friday, May 1; appeals arising from LGA congresses and screening of state executive members will be held the same day; and appeals arising from state congresses will be held on Sunday, May 3, 2026.
The Independent National Electoral Commission has fixed the Presidential and National Assembly elections for Saturday, January 16, 2027, and the Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections for Saturday, February 6, 2027. INEC also said party primaries — including the resolution of disputes arising from them — are scheduled between April 23 and May 30, 2026. Campaigns for the Presidential and National Assembly elections will commence on August 19, 2026; campaigns for the Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections begin on September 9, 2026.
