The African Democratic Congress has officially released its timetable for the 2026 primary elections ahead of the 2027 general elections, outlining key dates for nomination, screening, appeals, and primaries across all elective positions.
In a statement issued on Sunday by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC said the timetable reflects its commitment to internal democracy, orderliness, and full compliance with electoral guidelines.
“The sale of nomination forms will take place from May 5 to May 10, 2026, while the submission of completed forms is scheduled for May 11 to May 13, 2026,” the statement read. “Screening of aspirants will take place from May 14 to May 15, 2026, followed by the publication of screening results on May 17, 2026.”
Appeals arising from the screening exercise will be heard between May 18 and May 19, 2026, with the final list of cleared aspirants to be released on May 20, 2026.
Primary elections will commence on May 21, 2026, with contests for State Houses of Assembly, House of Representatives, and Senate seats holding simultaneously at the ward level. “The Governorship primaries will take place on May 22, 2026, while the Presidential Primary is scheduled for May 25, 2026,” Abdullahi said.
The process will be followed by a meeting of the National Executive Committee on May 26, 2026, and a Special National Convention on May 27, 2026, where final ratifications will be made.
The ADC also approved a structured fee regime for nomination forms. “The presidential nomination form is pegged at N100 million, governorship at N50 million, Senate at N20 million, House of Representatives at N10 million, and State House of Assembly at N3 million,” the party stated.
To encourage wider participation, the ADC announced concessional rates. “We have introduced concessional rates, offering a 50 percent discount for youths and a 25 percent discount for women and persons with disabilities,” Abdullahi said.
The party urged all members, stakeholders, and aspirants to adhere strictly to the outlined schedule and guidelines. “This timetable reflects our party’s commitment to internal democracy, orderliness, and full compliance with electoral guidelines,” Abdullahi added.
The release comes as the Independent National Electoral Commission has scheduled the Presidential and National Assembly elections for January 16, 2027, while the Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections will occur on February 6, 2027. INEC has set the deadline for political parties to submit their membership registers at May 10, 2026, and primaries must hold before May 30, 2026, pursuant to Section 77(4) of the Electoral Act 2026.
