The All Progressives Congress (APC) has revised its timetable for the 2027 general elections, moving its presidential primary from May 15 and 16 to May 23, 2026. The governorship primaries have also been rescheduled to May 21, 2026.
The adjustment was announced on Thursday in Abuja by the party’s Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Duro Meseko, following the 186th National Working Committee meeting.
He said the changes also affect other key activities, including the screening of aspirants and the handling of appeals.
Meseko explained that the earlier screening dates—initially set for May 6 to May 8, with the presidential screening fixed for May 9—have now been reviewed under a new timetable aligned with the Constitution, the Electoral Act 2026, and the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) election schedule.
Announcing the revised programme, he said, “We now have a new revised timetable in accordance with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, as amended, the Electoral Act 2026, and the Independent National Electoral Commission revised timetable and schedule of activities for the 2027 general elections.
We hereby present the new revised timetable and schedule of activities for the conduct of the 2027 general elections to the press.
Notice had already been given to state chapters on Monday, 20th April. Sales of forms will commence this Saturday, 25th April, to Saturday, 2nd May, 2026.
The last day for submission of completed forms and accompanying documents is now Monday, 4th May, 2026. Screening of aspirants – House of Assembly, House of Representatives, Senate, Governorship, and Presidential—will hold as follows: Wednesday, 6th May to Friday, 8th May, 2026, for House of Assembly, House of Representatives, Senate, and Governorship screening respectively. Saturday, 9th May, 2026, is the screening for Presidential aspirants.
Publication of screening results for State House of Assembly, House of Representatives, Senate, Governorship, and Presidential will hold on Monday, 11th May, 2026.
Screening appeals will be handled by the appeal committees from Tuesday, 12th May to Wednesday, 13th May, 2026, for the State House of Assembly, House of Representatives, Senate, Governorship, and Presidential.”
He added that the party’s primaries will now hold on the following schedule: House of Representatives on Friday, 15th May; Senate on Monday, 18th May; State House of Assembly on Wednesday, 20th May; Governorship on Thursday, 21st May; and Presidential primary on Saturday, 23rd May, 2026.
He further noted, “That is one of the resolutions today. The second is the schedule of activities and timetable for the 2026 ward, LGA, and state congresses in Zamfara State, beginning Tuesday, 28th April, 2026. The ward congresses, LGA congresses, and state congresses will commence on that date.
Screening of aspirants for ward executive positions will follow on Wednesday, 29th April, 2026.
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Ward congresses will be held on Thursday, 30th April, 2026. Appeals from ward screening and ward congresses will be held on Friday, 1st May, 2026.
Appeals arising from LGA congresses and screening of state executive members will also be held on the same day.
Appeals arising from state congresses will be held on Sunday, 3rd May, 2026.
That is the timetable for the congresses in Zamfara State.”
Meseko also clarified that the party has adopted both direct and consensus modes of primary elections in line with the Electoral Act 2026.
“In this 186th meeting of the National Working Committee of the All Progressives Congress, we adopted the mode of primaries as provided in the Electoral Act: direct and consensus mode, with a caveat that members are at liberty to pick.
That is, aspirants are free to decide their preference in accordance with the Electoral Act.
Where consensus works, it stands, and where an aspirant does not agree to consensus, it automatically reverts to direct primaries.
There was also a rumour that forms would be restricted or limited to certain individuals.
I am here to inform all party faithful and aspirants that nomination forms for all aspirants seeking offices under the All Progressives Congress are available for all, not exclusively reserved for any individual.”
Meanwhile, INEC has scheduled the Presidential and National Assembly elections for January 16, 2027, while Governorship and State Assembly polls will hold on February 6, 2027. Party primaries and resolution of disputes are set for April 23 to May 30, 2026.
Campaigns for presidential and National Assembly elections will begin on August 19, 2026, while those for governorship and state assemblies will start on September 9, 2026.