The All Progressives Congress (APC) has announced a change in the dates for its presidential and governorship primary elections ahead of the 2027 general polls.
According to the party, the presidential primary, initially fixed for May 15 and 16, will now take place on May 23, 2026, while the governorship primaries have been moved to May 21, 2026, following adjustments to its electoral timetable.
The update was disclosed after the 186th National Working Committee (NWC) meeting held in Abuja. Speaking on behalf of the party, Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Duro Meseko, explained that the revisions also affect other key processes, including screening and appeals.
He noted that the party has aligned its new schedule with the 1999 Constitution (as amended), the Electoral Act 2026, and the timetable released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the 2027 elections.
Under the revised timetable, the sale of nomination forms will run from April 25 to May 2, 2026, while the deadline for submission is now May 4. Screening of aspirants across all positions—State Assembly, House of Representatives, Senate, governorship, and presidential—will take place between May 6 and May 9, with presidential aspirants screened on the final day.
Screening results are expected on May 11, while appeals will be handled between May 12 and May 13.
Primary elections will proceed in stages: House of Representatives on May 15, Senate on May 18, State House of Assembly on May 20, governorship on May 21, and presidential on May 23.
Meseko also outlined dates for post-primary appeals, which will run between May 18 and May 25, depending on the category.
In addition, the party released a separate timetable for ward, local government, and state congresses in Zamfara State, beginning April 28, 2026, with a series of screenings and appeals scheduled through early May.
On the mode of selecting candidates, the APC said it would adopt both direct and consensus primaries, as permitted under the Electoral Act. However, where consensus fails, the process will automatically revert to direct primaries.
Meseko dismissed claims that nomination forms would be restricted, stressing that they are available to all interested aspirants.
Meanwhile, INEC has fixed January 16, 2027, for presidential and National Assembly elections, while governorship and state assembly polls are scheduled for February 6, 2027. The commission also set April 23 to May 30, 2026, as the official window for party primaries, with campaigns expected to begin in August and September respectively.
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