Nigeria’s leading opposition party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), has officially announced a revision of its timetable for the 2026 general election primaries, moving the presidential primary election from May 15–16 to May 23, 2026. The adjustment also affects the governorship and other legislative primaries as the party realigns its internal electoral calendar.

The announcement was made on Thursday in Abuja by the party’s Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Duro Meseko, following a meeting of the National Working Committee (NWC). According to him, the decision was part of a broader review of the party’s earlier schedule aimed at improving coordination and ensuring a smoother selection process for all aspirants.

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Under the revised timetable, the governorship primary elections will now hold on May 21, 2026, while the highly anticipated presidential primary is scheduled to take place on May 23, 2026. This shift places the presidential contest as the final major primary in the party’s sequence.

Meseko explained that the party also adjusted several pre-primary activities, including the screening of aspirants and the appeals process. The screening exercise, originally slated for early May, will now be conducted across all elective positions, including federal and state legislative offices, governorship, and the presidency.

According to the updated schedule, the sale of nomination forms will commence on April 25, 2026, and close on May 2, 2026. All aspirants are expected to submit their completed forms by May 4, setting the stage for the screening process shortly afterward.

The screening of candidates will be conducted across all categories of elective offices, with results scheduled for release on May 11. This phase is expected to be a critical stage in determining the eligibility of aspirants ahead of the primaries.

Following the release of screening results, the party has also built in a window for appeals. Any grievances arising from the screening process will be addressed between May 12 and May 13, allowing aspirants to contest decisions before the final primaries begin.

The primaries will then proceed in a staggered format. House of Representatives primaries are scheduled for May 15, followed by Senate primaries on May 18, and State House of Assembly primaries on May 20. The governorship primaries will hold on May 21, before the presidential primary concludes the exercise on May 23.

The party further clarified that appeals after the primaries will also be handled in stages, with the final round of appeals—those concerning the presidential primary—set for May 25, 2026.

Political analysts suggest that the revised timetable reflects the APC’s effort to streamline its internal processes and avoid logistical bottlenecks that often accompany large-scale party primaries. By spacing out the elections, the party aims to ensure transparency, reduce internal conflicts, and give adequate attention to each level of contest.

The adjustment comes at a crucial time as political activities begin to intensify ahead of the 2026 general elections. With aspirants across various offices preparing to contest, the revised schedule is expected to shape early campaign strategies and alliances within the party.

As the APC moves forward with its updated roadmap, attention will now shift to how smoothly the party executes its screening and primaries, which are widely seen as a key indicator of its internal stability heading into the national elections.