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The All Progressives Congress has rescheduled its presidential primary election to May 23, 2026, shifting it from the earlier May 15-16 date. The governorship primaries will now hold on May 21, 2026.
APC Deputy National Publicity Secretary Duro Meseko announced the changes on Thursday after the party’s 186th National Working Committee meeting in Abuja. He said the adjustments align with the Constitution, the Electoral Act 2026, and INEC’s revised timetable for the 2027 general elections.
Key changes to the APC schedule:
Nomination process
Sales of forms: April 25 – May 2, 2026
Submission deadline: May 4, 2026
Screening of aspirants: May 6-8, 2026 for House of Assembly, Reps, Senate, and Governorship; May 9, 2026 for Presidential aspirants
Publication of screening results: May 11, 2026
Screening appeals: May 12-13, 2026
Primary elections
House of Representatives: May 15, 2026
Senate: May 18, 2026
State House of Assembly: May 20, 2026
Governorship: May 21, 2026
Presidential: May 23, 2026
Post-primary appeals will be heard May 18 for Reps, May 20 for Senate, May 21 for Assembly, May 23 for Governorship, and May 25 for Presidential.
Meseko also released the schedule for ward, LGA, and state congresses in Zamfara State, set to begin April 28, 2026. Ward congresses hold April 30, LGA congresses follow, and state congresses wrap up by May 3, with appeals running concurrently.
The NWC adopted both direct primary and consensus options as provided in the Electoral Act 2026. “Aspirants are free to decide their preference. Where consensus works, it stands. Where an aspirant disagrees, it automatically reverts to direct primaries,” Meseko said.
He dismissed claims that nomination forms would be restricted to select individuals. “Forms are available for all aspirants under the APC, not exclusively reserved for anyone.”
INEC has fixed the Presidential and National Assembly elections for January 16, 2027, and Governorship/State Assembly polls for February 6, 2027. Party primaries must hold between April 23 and May 30, 2026. Campaigns for presidential and NASS elections begin August 19, 2026, while governorship and assembly campaigns start September 9, 2026.
The APC said state chapters were notified of the changes on April 20. — at Abuja, Nigeria.
SB E-news.
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