2027: Political Parties In Frenzy Of Primaries

Major political parties are bracing to meet the 30 May 2026 deadline set by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for nominating candidates for the 2027 general election.

INEC , in a timetable and schedule of activities for the 2027 general election, gave political parties until 30 May 2026 to conduct their primaries and resolve any disputes arising therefrom.

The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), for instance, has commenced primary elections on Saturday, with the nomination of candidates for the 360 House of Representatives seats across the nation.

The primary election for the Green Chamber was initially scheduled for Friday, but the party shifted to Saturday at the eleventh hour, while the dates for others remained unchanged.

Consequently, the primaries for Senate will be held on Monday, 18 May, State Houses of Assembly – Wednesday, 20 May 2026; Governorship – Thursday, 21 May 2026, and Presidential – Saturday, 23 May 2026.

President Bola Tinubu had called on APC aspirants and leaders to conduct the party’s primary elections peacefully and uphold internal democracy.

Tinubu made the appeal in a statement ahead of the commencement of the APC primaries, describing the exercises as a defining moment for the party.

He said APC must preserve its unity and democratic ideals as it prepares for its fourth electoral cycle since its formation.

“The party we formed just like yesterday is gearing up for its fourth election cycle. It is a source of pride for me, and I believe for all our distinguished leaders and teeming members.

“The primary elections are not mere exercises to produce our standard bearers. They are a referendum on our unity, resilience and strength as a party. They present an opportunity to renew the bond and ideals that we share,” Tinubu said.

Also, the two factions of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) — one led by Tanimu Turaki and the other loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike; the African Democratic Congress (ADC), the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Labour Party (LP) and others have intensified preparations for the primaries.

While the APC concluded its screening a week ago, the ADC, NDC, PDP, and LP have also commenced screening for aspirants seeking various elective offices on their platforms.

The PDP faction led by Tanimu Turaki released an amended timetable ahead of its primaries. According to the factional National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, and National Organising Secretary, Theophilus Dakas Shan, the amendment became necessary following appeals from stakeholders and aspirants across the country.

The revised timetable showed that the sale of forms ended on Friday, 15 May; submission of completed forms closes on Monday, 18, 2026; and screening of aspirants will hold on Tuesday, 19 May 2026.

The National Working Committee of the Wike-led faction also approved a screening committee for all presidential aspirants, with former Abia State Governor Okezie Ikpeazu as chairman.

The faction’s National Organising Secretary, Bature Umar, conducted screening for House of Representatives, Senate, and governorship aspirants on Wednesday and Thursday (May 13 and 14), while governorship primaries are scheduled for 24 May and the presidential primary for 26 May. Appeals arising from the exercise will be heard on 30 May.

The LP, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Ken Eluma Asogwa, also released its timetable and schedule of activities for the 2026 primaries.

According to the party, the sale of nomination forms began on 6 May and ended on Saturday, 16 May, while submission of completed forms will be held between Sunday and Monday (May 17 and 18).

Screening of House of Assembly and governorship aspirants will take place on Wednesday, 20 May, while screening of National Assembly and presidential aspirants will take place on 22 May.

Similarly, the NDC announced the commencement of the sale of Expression of Interest and Nomination Forms for aspirants seeking elective positions on the party’s platform.

The party said  that the sale of Expression of Interest Forms commenced on Wednesday, 13 May, and will end on Monday, 18 May, while screening and interviews of aspirants will be held from Tuesday to Thursday (May 19 – 21).

The party said the sale of Nomination Forms would begin immediately after the screening exercise and end on Saturday, May 23, while completed forms must be submitted on or before Monday, May 25.

The NDC added that appeals arising from the screening process would be entertained on May 25 and 26, while primary elections for various elective offices are scheduled for May 27 and 28. The presidential primary election is slated for May 29 in Abuja.

The party also stated that aspirants for State Houses of Assembly would be screened in their respective states, while National Assembly and presidential aspirants would be screened at the party’s national headquarters.

In a related development, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi, and Mohammed Hayatu-Deen have submitted their nomination forms at the ADC national secretariat in Abuja.

In a post on his X handle on Thursday, Atiku said his presidential ambition represents a broader movement aimed at restoring national prosperity and rebuilding the country.

For his part, Amaechi pledged to turn the country around within four years if elected, arguing that competence, experience and performance—not ethnicity or political sentiment—should determine the 2027 contest.

Also, Hayatu-Deen ruled out zoning of the party’s presidential ticket to any particular part of the country, insisting that such an arrangement undermines competence and capacity.

Meanwhile, ADC has postponed its presidential and governorship screening exercise, originally scheduled for the weekend, to Monday, 18 May 2026.

ADC, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, said the adjustment also affects the screening arrangements for some federal lawmaker aspirants from parts of Northern Nigeria affected by security challenges.

The political atmosphere is expected to be highly charged this week, with the outcome of the primaries and the continuation of their conduct.