2026 APC Primaries
The flag-bearers of political parties for elective offices in the 2027 general elections have emerged. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had earlier set 30 May as the deadline. However, the outcomes of the primary elections held so far have, in broad terms, unfortunately exemplified the duplicity, falsifications and violence that have characterised and bogged down our democracy to date. These
have raised genuine concerns about the fate of next year’s polls.
The Electoral Act 2026 in Section 84 (2) spells out that “The procedure for the nomination of candidates by political parties for various elective positions shall be direct primaries or consensus.” For the latter, there must be written consent by all aspirants for it to be legitimate.
In the states where the governors had been given free rein by President Bola Tinubu to conduct primaries for the All Progressives Congress (APC), they forced many aspirants to step down for their anointed choices. The ruling party has thus superintended over primaries in 8,809 electoral wards in the country. A total of 993 state houses of assembly tickets, 360 House of Representatives, 109 senatorial slots and the presidential ticket were up for grabs.
