RismadarVoice Reporters, April 21, 2026
Nigeria’s ruling party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), has officially released its timetable and schedule of activities for the 2027 general elections, setting Friday, May 15, 2026, as the date for its presidential primary.
The schedule, signed by the party’s National Organising Secretary, Sulaiman Muhammad Argungu, outlines a tightly packed calendar that signals the formal commencement of internal party processes ahead of the national polls.
According to the document, the sale of expression of interest and nomination forms for all categories of aspirants began on Monday at the APC national secretariat in Abuja and is expected to close on May 2, 2026. This marks the first major step in the party’s candidate selection process.
Screening of aspirants is slated to take place between May 6 and May 8, after which the party will proceed to its primaries. The presidential primary will lead the sequence on May 15, followed by the House of Representatives primaries on May 18. Senate primaries are scheduled for May 20, while those for State Houses of Assembly will hold on May 21. Governorship primaries will conclude the exercise on May 23.
The timetable also provides for an election petition window within the party, beginning with the presidential category on May 18 and ending with governorship disputes on May 29, 2026.
However, the high cost of nomination forms has once again drawn attention. Aspirants vying for State House of Assembly seats are required to pay ₦6 million, while those contesting for the House of Representatives and Senate will pay ₦10 million and ₦20 million respectively. Governorship aspirants face a ₦50 million fee, while the presidential ticket has been pegged at ₦100 million comprising ₦30 million for the expression of interest form and ₦70 million for the nomination form.
The steep pricing, particularly for the presidential ticket, is expected to trigger debate within political circles and among the wider public, as aspirants begin consultations and mobilisation efforts ahead of the primaries.
With this announcement, the APC becomes the first major political party to formally roll out its timetable for the 2027 elections, setting the pace for other parties, which are anticipated to release their own schedules in the coming weeks.
