KEY POINTS
- The APC has rescheduled its presidential primary to Saturday, May 23, 2026.
- The party has adopted a dual-mode primary system, direct or consensus, per the Electoral Act.
- Nomination forms open Saturday, April 25 and close Saturday, May 2, with completed forms due May 4.
The All Progressives Congress has officially pushed its presidential primary back by eight days to Saturday, May 23, 2026, and rolled out a fresh schedule that opens nomination forms to every party aspirant.
Durosinmi Meseko, the party’s deputy national publicity secretary, broke the news Thursday in Abuja after the 186th meeting of the National Working Committee. He said the new calendar replaces an earlier timetable published just days ago.
Furthermore, Meseko confirmed that the party has formally communicated the revised dates to the Independent National Electoral Commission, in line with extant regulations.
A new calendar
Under the revised plan, the sale of nomination forms begins Saturday, April 25, and runs until Saturday, May 2. Completed forms and accompanying documents must land on the party’s desk no later than Monday, May 4.
Screening of aspirants for the House of Assembly, House of Representatives, Senate and governorship positions will run from Wednesday, May 6 through Friday, May 8. Presidential aspirants will face their screening panel on Saturday, May 9.
Additionally, the party will publish screening results across all categories on Monday, May 11. Appeal panels will then convene on Tuesday and Wednesday, May 12 and 13.
Primary elections will roll out in sequence: House of Representatives on Friday, May 15; Senate on Monday, May 18; State House of Assembly on Wednesday, May 20; governorship on Thursday, May 21; and the presidential primary on Saturday, May 23.
Post-primary appeal committees will sit in the days immediately following each primary. The compressed schedule signals how tight the runway is ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Direct or consensus, with a catch
The NWC also adopted a dual-mode primary system, direct or consensus, as provided in the Electoral Act. However, the party attached a sharp condition. Aspirants can indicate their preference, but where any single aspirant in a consensus arrangement withholds agreement, the process automatically reverts to direct primaries.
Meseko moved quickly to put down a rumor that the party would restrict nomination forms to certain individuals.
“Nomination forms for all aspirants seeking offices under the All Progressives Congress are open. Nomination forms are open for all members of the All Progressives Congress contesting elections,” he declared.
Membership and Zamfara congresses
On the membership question, Meseko said the updated list of all newly registered APC members has gone to INEC, bringing the party into full conformity with established rules.
Separately, the NWC approved a timetable for ward, local government area and state congresses in Zamfara State. Things kick off Tuesday, April 28, with screening of aspirants for ward executive positions. Ward congresses follow on Thursday, April 30, with LGA and state congresses in the days after, and all resulting appeals to wrap by Sunday, May 3.
Meseko closed the briefing with a confidence statement, declaring that the APC is now fully ready for the upcoming primary elections. With the calendar locked in and forms about to hit the market, the next four weeks will set the stage for the party’s 2027 lineup. The shift in dates also gives both the party and the electoral commission additional room to manage logistics and avoid the procedural snags that have dogged previous primaries.
