President Bola Tinubu has issued a definitive directive to the 31 governors of the All Progressives Congress (APC), mandating the conduct of free, fair, and credible primary elections across the country. The President emphasized that strict adherence to the Electoral Act is essential to maintaining party unity and institutional cohesion.
The directive was disclosed by the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) and Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, alongside Niger State Governor Mohammed Bago, following a closed-door consultative meeting with the President at the State House.
Presidential Mandate on Primary Logistics
During the deliberations, President Tinubu reaffirmed his support for the party's decision to allow state chapters the autonomy to choose between consensus or direct primaries, provided the methods align with legal frameworks.
Governor AbdulRazaq noted that the President essentially delegated the executive oversight of these processes to the governors to ensure a localized but legally sound execution.
"He gave us a matching order on what to do," AbdulRazaq stated. "The President has ceded executive power to the governors to conduct primaries based on the Electoral Act, ensuring the process remains inclusive and rancour-free."
Governor Bago added that the objective of the meeting was to streamline the roadmap for the upcoming internal elections to ensure the APC emerges "stronger than ever" heading into the general election cycle.
APC Releases Revised 2026 Primary Timetable
In a simultaneous development, the APC National Working Committee (NWC) has released a revised timetable for its 2026 primary elections. The Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Durosinmi Meseko, confirmed that the adjustments have been formally communicated to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The updated schedule shifts several key dates, most notably moving the presidential primary from its original mid-May slot to late May.
Key Dates & Deadlines:
| Activity | Date(s) |
| Sale of Expression of Interest/Nomination Forms | April 25 – May 2, 2026 |
| Submission Deadline | May 4, 2026 |
| Screening (Legislative & Governorship) | May 6 – May 8, 2026 |
| Screening (Presidential Aspirants) | May 9, 2026 |
| Publication of Screening Results | May 11, 2026 |
| Primary Election: Senate | May 18, 2026 |
| Primary Election: House of Assembly | May 20, 2026 |
| Primary Election: Governorship | May 21, 2026 |
| Primary Election: Presidential | May 23, 2026 |
Appeal Process
To ensure internal democracy and address grievances, the NWC has established a tiered appeal system. The Post-Primary Appeal Committees are scheduled to sit between May 18 and May 25, 2026, concluding with the presidential appeal review on the final day of the cycle.
The high-level meeting at the State House saw the attendance of 18 governors, including Hope Uzodimma (Imo), Inuwa Yahaya (Gombe), Babagana Zulum (Borno), and Peter Mbah (Enugu), alongside several deputy governors representing their respective states.