The All Progressives Congress (APC) has released guidelines and committees for its 2026 presidential primaries, adopting the direct primary method that will allow all registered party members nationwide to participate in the exercise.
In a document issued by the party’s National Secretariat in Abuja, the APC said the direct primary would take place across the country’s 8,809 wards on May 24, 2026.
The party stated that every registered member would be eligible to vote for their preferred presidential aspirant during the exercise.
According to the guidelines, results from each ward will be collated at the local government level before being transmitted to the national collation centre in Abuja.
The APC also said the primaries in the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory would be supervised by appointed state coordinators and collation officers selected by the party leadership.
It added that the earlier guidelines on the “Procedure for the Conduct of Direct and Consensus Mode of Primaries” sent to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on May 15, 2026, would equally apply to the presidential primary.
Anyim heads primary committee
Former Senate President Pius Anyim was appointed chairman of the Presidential Primary Election Committee.
Other members of the committee include former Senate President Ken Nnamani, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba, former deputy governor Grace Titi Laoye-Ponle, Yakubu Dogara, Idris Wada, while Senator Sanusi Musa will serve as secretary.
The party also inaugurated a Presidential Primary Election Appeal Committee chaired by former Senate Leader Ali Ndume. Samuel Pwajok will serve as secretary, while Patricia Etteh is a member of the panel.
Fubara, governors named coordinators
Several serving and former governors were appointed as coordinators and collation officers for different states.
Among those listed is Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara, who recently withdrew from the party’s governorship primary.
Others named include Hope Uzodimma for Imo, Umo Eno for Akwa Ibom, Douye Diri for Bayelsa, Hyacinth Alia for Benue, Babagana Zulum for Borno, Sheriff Oborevwori for Delta, Francis Nwifuru for Ebonyi, Monday Okpebholo for Edo, Peter Mbah for Enugu, Umar Namadi for Jigawa, and Uba Sani for Kaduna.
Also appointed are Babajide Sanwo-Olu for Lagos, Mohammed Umar Bago for Niger, Lucky Aiyedatiwa for Ondo, Caleb Mutfwang for Plateau, Agbu Kefas for Taraba, Dauda Lawal for Zamfara, and former Osun governor Adegboyega Oyetola.
“The organisation of conduct of the direct primary in each of the 36 states and the FCT shall be the responsibility of the State Coordinator and Collation Officer, who shall also collate the results of all the local governments in the state and present the same to the Presidential Primary Election Committee in Abuja, FCT on 24 May, 2026.
“The provisions of the ‘Procedure for the Conduct of Direct and Consensus Mode of Primaries’ earlier issued and forwarded to the Independent National Electoral Committee under the cover of a letter dated 15 May 2026 with reference No: APC/NHDQ/INEC/PRYS-DOCS/01-05/26 shall also apply mutatis mutandis,” the document signed by APC National Secretary, Senator Ajibola Basiru, partly read.