The All Progressives Congress (APC) National Working Committee (NWC) has postponed its governorship primaries in Kwara and Bauchi states, alongside state assembly contests in two Zamfara constituencies, following an inability to secure consensus agreements.
The disruption occurred just as the ruling party finalized key election management structures for its nationwide presidential primary, scheduled for Saturday, May 23, 2026. The NWC appointed a Presidential Primary Election Committee chaired by former Senate President Pius Anyim, alongside a separate Appeal Panel led by former Katsina State Governor Aminu Masari.
Key Electoral Postponements and Delays
In an official statement released late Thursday, APC National Publicity Secretary Felix Morka announced that the governorship primaries in Bauchi and Kwara states had been rescheduled for Friday, May 22, 2026. Additionally, the State House of Assembly primaries for the Maradun I and Maradun II constituencies in Zamfara State were moved to Sunday, May 24, 2026.
Morka stated the adjustments followed extensive consultations with party stakeholders to ensure a “transparent, orderly, peaceful, and credible primary election process.”
Kwara State: Despite the official postponement, thousands of party members gathered at various wards across Kwara Central. Incidental confusion arose when electoral officials failed to arrive by mid-afternoon. Behind the scenes, intensive negotiations led to eight governorship aspirants stepping down to endorse Ambassador Yahaya Seriki—the preferred successor of incumbent Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq. Those who withdrew included Senator Ibrahim Oloriegbe, Prof. Wale Sulaiman, and House of Assembly Speaker Yakubu Danladi-Salihu.
Bauchi State: Protests erupted as supporters of aspirant Nura Soro besieged the hotel of the APC electoral committee. Campaign officials accused party leaders of attempting to manipulate the process through candidate imposition, demanding an open ballot system similar to the national process that produced President Bola Tinubu.
Nasarawa State: Late logistics deployment forced voters back to their homes. Electoral materials failed to arrive at multiple centers across Nasarawa South and West senatorial districts by 6:00 PM, pushing the conclusion of the exercise to Friday.
Incumbents and Consensus Candidates Coast to Victory
Despite localized friction, the APC successfully concluded primaries across 25 states. Incumbent governors and consensus-backed figures secured definitive victories.
Seven states—Kogi, Edo, Bayelsa, Anambra, Imo, Osun, Ekiti, and Ondo—did not participate, as they operate on off-cycle election schedules.
| State | Winning Candidate | Notable Details / Vote Counts |
| Lagos | Obafemi Hamzat (Deputy Governor) | Secured 657,917 votes; opponent Olanrewaju Jim-Kamal received 1 vote. |
| Kaduna | Uba Sani (Incumbent) | Secured affirmation with 459,393 votes. |
| Delta | Sheriff Oborevwori (Incumbent) | Polled 345,375 votes in a peaceful direct primary. |
| Rivers | Kingsley Chinda | Polled 268,497 votes following the late withdrawal of Governor Siminalayi Fubara. |
| Gombe | Jamilu Gwamna | Defeated former ministers Isa Pantami (12,120 votes) and Said Alkali (11,612 votes). |
| Enugu | Peter Mbah (Incumbent) | Won after a high-turnout direct primary across 260 wards. |
| Ogun | Senator Solomon Adeola (Yayi) | Confirmed as consensus candidate following cross-district consultations. |
| Katsina | Dikko Umaru Radda (Incumbent) | Secured affirmation via a voice vote of 1,805 delegates. |
| Kebbi | Nasir Idris (Incumbent) | Unanimous endorsement across all 225 wards. |
High-Profile Withdrawals and Upsets
In Rivers State, political tension spiked after Governor Siminalayi Fubara withdrew from the race on Wednesday night to preserve "peace and unity." The move drew sharp criticism from political allies and civil society groups, who claimed the governor's political structures had been compromised.
In Gombe State, Jamilu Gwamna pulled off a major upset by soundly defeating former federal ministers Isa Pantami and Said Alkali, both of whom boycotted the election alleging procedural irregularities.
Strategic withdrawals were also recorded in Adamawa, where three aspirants stepped down for Ahmed Galadima, and in Abia, where Chief Mascot Uzor-Kalu withdrew citing equity and zoning considerations.
Framework for the 2026 Presidential Primary
The APC confirmed that its presidential primary will proceed on May 23, 2026, across all 8,809 wards nationwide. The contest features two candidates: the incumbent President, Bola Tinubu, and Stanley Osifo.
According to guidelines signed by APC National Secretary Ajibola Basiru, the party will utilize the direct primary mode. Registered party members will vote at the ward level, with results compiled across the 774 Local Government Areas (LGAs) by designated collation officers. State-level results will be synchronized by state coordinators and forwarded to the central committee in Abuja for final declaration.
The party’s NWC released its comprehensive roster of State Coordinators and Collation Officers, which primarily features sitting governors across the 36 states, alongside senior stakeholders like Teslim Folarin (Oyo), Adegboyega Oyetola (Osun), and Yakubu Dogara (Bauchi) managing non-APC governed territories.