APC, ADC, Others Pick Senatorial, Governorship Candidates, Ruling Party Conducts Presidential Primaries

The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has nominated senatorial and gubernatorial candidates for the 2027 general election.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio, his deputy, Barau Jibrin, Ali Ndume, Ahmed Lawan, Opeyemi Bamidele, Orji Uzor Kalu, Ede Dafinone, and Adamu Aliero were among the prominent political figures who emerged victorious in the party’s senatorial primaries held across the country on Monday.

Others include former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello, Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma, Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun, former Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole, and former Delta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa.

The governorship candidates of the party that emerged either through consensus or direct primaries held on Thursday across 28 states include:

Abia – Eric Opah, Adamawa –Ahmed Galadima, Akwa Ibom – Governor Umo Eno, Bauchi –former Governor Mohammed Abubakar, Benue – Governor Hyacinth Alia and Borno – Mustapha Gubio.

Others are: Cross River – Governor Bassey Otu, Delta – Governor Sheriff Oborevwori,

Ebonyi – Governor Francis Nwifuru, Enugu – Governor Peter Mbah, Gombe – Jamilu Gwamna, Jigawa – Governor Umar Namadi, Kaduna – Governor Uba Sani, Kano – Governor Abba Yusuf, Katsina – Governor Dikko Radda, Kebbi – Governor Nasir Idris, Kwara – Speaker Yakubu Danladi-Salihu and Lagos – Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat.

Those who also won APC gubernatorial tickets include: Nasarawa – Senator Ahmed Wadada, Niger – Governor Umaru Bago, Ogun – Senator Solomon Adeola, Oyo – Senator Sharafadeen Alli, Plateau – Governor Caleb Mutfwang, Rivers – Ogundu Kingsley Chinda, Sokoto – Governor Ahmad Aliyu, Taraba – Governor Agbu Kefas, Yobe – Baba Malam Wali and Zamfara – Governor Dauda Lawal.

Primaries were not conducted in Anambra, Bayelsa, Edo, Ekiti, Imo, Kogi, Ondo, and Osun, as these eight states have off-cycle election schedules.

Meanwhile, APC on Saturday held presidential primaries in the 8,809 wards across the country, where about 14 million registered members participated.

The ruling party had fixed Saturday, May 23, 2026, for its presidential primaries with President Bola Tinubu and Osifo Stanley as the only aspirants.

The results of the presidential primaries shall be finally collated and declared at the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre in Abuja today (Sunday), 24 May 2026.

Similarly, the opposition coalitio, the African Democratic Congress (ADC), has begun nominating African Democratic Congress (ADC)  has begun the nomination of its gubernatorial and senatorial candidates.

So far, former House of Representatives member, Dr Farah Dagogo, has emerged as the Rivers State governorship candidate of ADC, just as former Deputy Governor of Zamfara State, Mahdi Aliyu Gusau, has been declared the winner of the party’s governorship primary election in the state.

Also, ADC declared Oriji Tobias Nnabuike the winner of the Ebonyi state governorship primary election by consensus, while former Senator Halliru Jika secured the Bauchi ADC governorship ticket.

Furthermore, ADC picked Idris Gatumbwa Durkwa as its candidate for Borno South while

A serving senator for Adamawa southern senatorial zone, Senator Binos Yaroe Dauda, has secured his return ticket to the Senate under the party.

Equally, a former House of Representatives Speaker pro tempore, Hon. Terngu Tsegba, secured ADC for Benue North West, former Finance Commissioner and David Olofu won Benue South senatorial primaries, while a former Majority Leader of the  Edo State House of Assembly,   Matthew Iduoriyekemwen,  won the Edo South senatorial district ticket of ADC.

On the other hand, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kwara state picked Kale Kawu as its consensus gubernatorial candidate for the 2027 general election. The former Senate president and the party’s state leaders, Dr Bukola Saraki, announced Kwara’s choice in a statement on Saturday.

Moreso, ADC cleared all three Presidential aspirants ahead of its scheduled primaries for Monday, 25 May 2026. Three Presidential aspirants, including Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi, and foremost economist Mohammed Hayatu-Dee.

Similarly, the Labour Party has screened presidential aspirants Samuel Nwigwe and Peter Agada, alongside former Minister of Information Labaran Maku, among others, ahead of its primaries.

This is because the screening committee of the Kabiru Turaki-led faction of the PDP cleared former President Goodluck Jonathan as its presidential aspirant ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The faction backed by Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, said  Jonathan emerged as its presidential hopeful after the screening committee granted him a waiver.

For its part, the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) constituted a National Selection Committee to oversee the screening and selection of aspirants ahead of its governorship and National Assembly primaries.

The National Chairman, Cleopas Zuwoghe, chairs the 20-member committee, while Enekweizu will serve as secretary.

Other members of the committee are Comrade Babatunde Ali, Alhaji Sidi Abdul Bomi, Alhaji Mohammed Bakin Zuwo, Dr. Danlami Arabs, Fredrick E. Owotorufa, Chief Teddy Obey, Barnabas Ejisi, Dr Adedayo Ekong and Yenusa Tanko.

The NDC also stated that only aspirants screened and cleared by both the National Screening Committee and the National Selection Committee would be eligible to purchase nomination forms.

It added that where consensus fails among aspirants, direct primaries would be conducted between May 28 and 30, 2026, in line with party guidelines.

The National Selection Committee will be inaugurated on 25 May 2026, after which it is expected to commence work immediately.

Also in the week, a Federal High Court in Abuja nullified portions of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) revised timetable for the 2027 general elections, ruling that the commission exceeded its statutory powers by imposing timelines inconsistent with provisions of the Electoral Act 2026.

However, INEC said it is awaiting the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the Federal High Court judgement nullifying key aspects of its revised timetable and schedule of activities for the 2027 general elections before taking any decision on the matter.

INEC’s deputy director of voter education and publicity, Wilfred Ifogah, disclosed this in an interview with LEADERSHIP Sunday in Abuja yesterday.

According to him, the commission would study the judgement after receiving the CTC before determining its next line of action.

“We are waiting to receive the Certified True Copy of the judgement before we can study it and determine the appropriate step to take,” Ifogah said.