Tinubu issues marching orders to APC governors on primaries

• Party says no automatic forms for president, govs, reschedules primaries

From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye and Romanus Ugwu, Abuja

President Bola Tinubu has handed the All Progressives Congress (APC) governors a marching order to deliver on party primaries, expressing thanks for their support while granting them full autonomy under the Electoral Act.

This emerged after an executive meeting at the State House, Abuja, where Niger State Governor Mohammed Bago spoke for the governors.

“We came to see Mr. President, we came to thank him for his magnanimity and his support to the governors and for our party, the APC. He gave us a matching order to what to do for him also,” Bago said, noting Tinubu’s ceding of executive power for consensus or direct primaries.

The session, shifted from the Council Chamber to the President’s Conference Room and starting around 5 p.m., included Progressive Governors’ Forum Chairman Hope Uzodimma (Imo), Inuwa Yahaya (Gombe), Prof. Babagana Zulum (Borno), Hyacinth Alia (Benue), Biodun Oyebanji (Ekiti), Peter Mbah (Enugu), AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq (Kwara), and others—some via deputies.

With the primaries timetable out, discussions centered on free, fair processes to emerge “stronger than ever” for elections.

Meanwhile, the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party has said it will not print an automatic single ticket for President Tinubu or the first term governors to contest unopposed.

Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Duro Meseko, made the disclosure while addressing newsmen at the party’s national headquarters after the 186th NWC meeting in Abuja yesterday.

The party also announced an adjustment in the timetable and schedule of activities for the 2027 general elections, disclosing that the presidential primary initially scheduled for May 15-16 will now hold May 23.

The NWC challenged all confident Nigerians to pick nomination forms against President Bola Tinubu and the incumbent state governors, announcing that it has adopted direct and consensus party primary options.

On the mode of primary, he said: “We adopted the mode of primaries as provided in the Electoral Act: direct and consensus mode, with a caveat that members are at liberty. That is, aspirants are free to decide their preference in accordance with the Electoral Act. Where there is consensus and an aspirant does not agree, it automatically reverts to direct primaries.”

“The direct option must be agreed to by all aspirants; if not, the consensus option reverts to direct primaries. There was also a rumour that forms would be restricted or limited to certain individuals. I am here to inform all party faithfuls and aspirants that nomination forms for all aspirants seeking offices under the APC are free. Nomination forms are open to all members of the APC members contesting elections.

“For emphasis, the nomination forms for presidential, governorship and other elective positions are open for any interested Nigerian to purchase,” he announced.

“Finally, on membership registration, all newly registered members of the APC have had their updated list transmitted to INEC. We did an earlier submission and an update has now been transmitted. We are now in full conformity with established rules,” he said

On the schedules, he said: “These are the takeaways from the meeting. We now have a new revised timetable in accordance with the amended Electoral Act 2026, and the INEC revised timetable and schedule of activities for the 2027 general elections.

“You will recall we published a timetable some few days back, but this is the newest timetable, and it will be published today. From today, it has been properly communicated to INEC in line with the existing rules of the game.

“Notice had already been given to state chapters on Monday, April 20. Sales of nomination forms will commence this Saturday, April 25 and end Saturday, May 2, 2026.

“The last day for submission of completed nomination forms and accompanying documents is now Monday, 4th May, 2026. Screening of aspirants—House of Assembly, House of Representatives, Senate, governorship, and Presidential—will hold as follows:

Wednesday, May 6, to Friday, May 8, 2026, for House of Assembly, House of Representatives, Senate, and governorship screening respectively.

Saturday, May 9, 2026, is the screening for Presidential aspirants. Publication of screening results for the State House of Assembly, House of Representatives, Senate, governorship, and presidential election will be held on Monday, May 11, 2026.

Screening Appeals will be handled by the Appeal Committees from Tuesday, May 12 to Wednesday, May 13, for State House of Assembly, House of Representatives, Senate, governorship and presidential.

“The primary elections of the APC commence as follows: Friday, May 15, House of Representatives Monday, May 18, 2026: Senate primary elections, Wednesday, May 20, State House of Assembly, Thursday, 21st May 21, governorship, Saturday, May 23, presidential.

“Post-primary Appeal Committees will sit as follows: Monday, May 18, for House of Representatives; Wednesday, May 20, for Senate; Thursday, May 21, 2026 for State House of Assembly; Saturday, May 23, for governorship; Monday, May 25, for presidential,” he explained.