2027: APC Fixes May Dates For Presidential, Gov Primaries

The All Progressives Congress, APC has announced May 16 and May 23, 2026, as dates for its presidential and governorship primary elections ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The ruling party also unveiled a comprehensive timetable detailing activities leading to the primaries, including the cost of nomination forms, screening schedules, and dates for elections into various offices.

The APC National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, disclosed this in a statement on Monday, noting that the timetable was signed by the party’s National Organising Secretary, Sulaiman Argungu.
According to the timetable, presidential aspirants are to pay N100 million for expression of interest and nomination forms.
Governorship aspirants will pay N50 million, while aspirants for the Senate and House of Representatives are to pay N20 million and N10 million respectively.

For State Houses of Assembly seats, aspirants are required to pay N6 million.

However, the party announced concessions for certain categories of aspirants, stating that female aspirants, youths, and persons with disabilities would only pay for the expression of interest form and 50 per cent of the nomination fees for their respective positions.

The party disclosed that the sale of forms would commence on April 25 and end on May 2, 2026, at its National Headquarters located in Wuse II, Abuja.
It fixed May 4 as the deadline for the submission of completed forms by aspirants.

The APC also released a detailed screening schedule for aspirants across all positions.
While presidential aspirants will be screened on May 9, other aspirants are expected to undergo screening between May 6 and May 8.
Additional screening exercises have been scheduled for May 12 and May 13, indicating a multi-phase verification process by the party.

PRIMARY ELECTION SCHEDULES

The timetable further outlined dates for the conduct of primaries for legislative and state-level positions.
Primaries for House of Representatives aspirants will hold on May 18, followed by Senate primaries on May 20, while State House of Assembly primaries are scheduled for May 21.
The governorship and presidential primaries are expected to take place on May 23 and May 16 respectively.

Meanwhile, the Independent National Electoral Commission has fixed January 16, 2027, for the Presidential and National Assembly elections.
Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections are scheduled for February 6, 2027.
INEC also stated that political parties are expected to conduct their primaries, including the resolution of disputes arising from them, between April 23 and May 30, 2026.
According to the commission, campaigns for the Presidential and National Assembly elections will begin on August 19, 2026, while those for governorship and State Assembly elections will commence on September 9, 2026.

Assuring party members of fairness, Morka said the APC remains committed to credible primaries.
“The APC reassures members, stakeholders, and Nigerians of its commitment to conducting a credible and transparent primary election that will further strengthen the Party’s internal democracy and consolidate its progressive ideals,” the statement read in part.

In a related development, the Peoples Democratic Party has adopted its timetable for the 2027 general elections, signalling the commencement of its own preparations for nationwide primaries.
This was part of resolutions reached at the party’s 108th National Executive Committee meeting held at its National Secretariat in Abuja on Monday.
The PDP, which has been embroiled in a prolonged internal crisis marked by factional divisions, declared that it had moved past its challenges.
It stated that the “era of uncertainty is over,” insisting that the party remains “strong, united and formidable.”

In a communiqué issued at the end of the meeting and signed by the party’s spokesperson, Haruna Mohammed Jungudo, the NEC expressed confidence in the newly elected National Working Committee led by the National Chairman, Abdulrahman Mohammed.
The committee emphasised the need for reconciliation among aggrieved members and stakeholders, urging that disputes be resolved through dialogue and in line with the party’s structures and democratic principles.

As part of preparations for the 2027 elections, the NEC approved a comprehensive timetable for party primaries, including the sale of Expression of Interest and Nomination Forms.
It directed all party organs to strictly adhere to the schedule to ensure a transparent and credible nomination process.
The NEC also stressed the importance of full compliance with guidelines issued by INEC, particularly regarding membership register submissions, conduct of primaries, and dispute resolution mechanisms.
Party leaders and stakeholders across all levels were urged to commence immediate preparations for state primaries, with emphasis on adherence to statutory provisions and internal regulations.

On internal reforms, the NEC endorsed the ongoing electronic membership registration exercise, describing it as a critical step towards modernising the party’s database, improving transparency, and enhancing grassroots participation.

Speaking at the meeting, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, reaffirmed his loyalty to the PDP, declaring that he had no intention of leaving the party after more than two decades of membership.
He commended the National Working Committee for reclaiming the party’s National Secretariat, describing the move as a demonstration of legitimacy.
Wike also urged the leadership to intensify reconciliation efforts by reaching out to members who defected during the crisis.
He stressed the need for greater transparency and openness in party affairs, noting that such measures would help rebuild trust and encourage the return of aggrieved members.

Also speaking, the National Chairman, Abdulrahman Mohammed, said the party had successfully navigated its leadership challenges and is now focused on electoral preparation and strategic consolidation ahead of the 2027 polls.

However, the Tanimu Turaki-led faction of the party dismissed the NEC meeting, describing it as illegitimate.
Speaking in an exclusive interview, the faction’s National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, said those present at the meeting were “APC apologists masquerading as PDP members.”
“The meeting, obviously, people have the right to meet under any guise they choose, but it is clear that if you scan through that gathering, you will see a group of APC apologists masquerading as PDP members. That was a branch of Tinubu supporters within the PDP, and their meeting was simply to consolidate the mandate they claim to support,” he said.
He further stated, “The meeting, discussions, and even information should be disregarded. No Nigerian should take them or anything from them seriously. The PDP is an opposition party and will remain so until it becomes the party in government.”
Ememobong also pointed out that several matters relating to the party’s leadership crisis are still pending in court.
“There are several matters pending in court, yet these individuals continue to gather and make decisions. These are consequential issues that the court will ultimately address,” he added.
He warned that loyal party members should not align with the actions of the group.
“Every member of the PDP who understands that the party is in opposition will not fall prey to such actions… anyone found among them is essentially an APC member operating under the guise of the PDP.”

Meanwhile, the African Democratic Congress has said it is exploring a consensus approach in selecting its presidential candidate for the 2027 general election.
The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, disclosed this during an appearance on Arise Television.
According to him, although the party still retains provisions for direct primaries, it is prioritising consensus as a cost-effective and strategic option.

“We are trying as much as possible to adopt the consensus approach because that is the least costly for us. For us, the best case scenario is to be able to engineer consensus and that’s what we are working on,” he said.

He added that indirect primaries are no longer being considered following amendments to the Electoral Act.

Abdullahi also took a swipe at the ruling party, suggesting that its strength is largely tied to incumbency.

“If you take power out of APC, APC is actually nothing. I know the party well,” he said, adding that the party could unravel after President Bola Tinubu’s tenure.