What Nigerians Should Know About APC’s Plans for Future Elections

Last checked: 14 October 2026. This article sets out what Nigerians should know about APC plans for future elections, based on public reports up to this date. It is civic education, not an endorsement of any party, and plans can change.

What Nigerians should know about APC plans for future elections starts with a reality check: the next elections are close. Presidential and National Assembly voting is scheduled for 16 January 2027, with governorship and state assembly polls on 6 February 2027. The APC has already chosen its presidential candidate and begun campaigning. Here is what is known, and what is not.

The candidate is already chosen

Bola Tinubu won the APC’s nationwide direct presidential primary on 23 May 2026 with 10,999,162 votes, against 16,503 for Stanley Osifo, according to the declared result. INEC’s final list of 18 presidential candidates, published on 12 September 2026, includes Tinubu for the APC, Atiku Abubakar for the ADC and Peter Obi for the NDC. INEC’s list also names Oluseyi Makinde for the APM and Adewole Adebayo for the SDP.

The campaign calendar

Presidential and National Assembly campaigns opened on 19 August 2026, and governorship and state assembly campaigns opened on 9 September 2026. The APC’s campaign director-general is Senator Abdulaziz Yari. The campaign council’s inaugural meeting was scheduled for 14 October in Abuja, and a flag-off is planned for Kaduna on 24 October, with stops in Rivers State and Maiduguri to follow.

What the party says it will emphasise

Yari has said the campaign will present the government’s record and seek a second term, with the line “We are not promising. We are doing it, and we are going to continue.” The APC’s election page, when we checked, linked to a manifesto page but did not display manifesto content on the page we could read. We could not confirm the party’s detailed policy commitments for a second term, so voters should read the manifesto itself when it is published.

Related link: Read more here

The legal environment has changed

The Electoral Act 2026, signed on 18 February 2026, replaced the 2022 Act. According to published summaries, it limits party primaries to direct primaries or consensus, requires parties to submit digital membership registers 21 days before primaries, and requires electronic transmission of polling unit results with a manual fallback when there is a communication failure. It also says courts cannot stop a primary or general election because a case is pending. Readers should consult the Act or a lawyer for exact wording.

The register ruling

On 24 September 2026 the Supreme Court decided INEC v. Zenith Labour Party. The APC says the ruling confirms that Section 77, on membership registers, is mandatory, and its national chairman Nentawe Yilwatda has asked INEC to verify whether parties met the 21-day deadline and enforce the consequences. How INEC responds could affect which candidates stay on the ballot, so it is worth following.

The party’s position among governors

BusinessDay reported on 9 March 2026 that the APC had 31 governors, with the PDP holding two, and the Labour Party, APGA and Accord one each. The party’s state network is therefore a major part of its plan, though the strength of this network will only be tested at the ballot box.

What voters need to do

• Check that you have a valid Permanent Voter Card and know your polling unit.
• Remember you must vote in person and be accredited with the BVAS device, according to INEC’s guide.
• Read the manifestos of all parties, not only one.
• Rely on official sources such as INEC for dates and results.

The cost and credibility questions

INEC says it needs ₦873.78 billion for the 2027 elections, compared with ₦313.4 billion for 2023. Observers will watch whether funds arrive on time and whether technology works on polling day. Past turnout figures of 43.65% in 2015, 34.75% in 2019 and 26.71% in 2023 show that participation is a challenge for every party.

Plans beyond 2027

We found no public APC plans for elections after 2027, such as the party’s approach to later governorship cycles or local government polls. Any such plans will probably follow the outcome of 2027 and future INEC timetables.

What we could not confirm

• The APC’s full manifesto or second-term programme.
• The party’s long-term election plans beyond 2027.
• The text of the 24 September 2026 Supreme Court judgment, which we know only through the APC’s account.

Frequently asked questions

Who is the APC presidential candidate? Bola Tinubu.

When is the presidential election? 16 January 2027.

Where can I find official information? INEC’s announcements and publications.

Key takeaways

The APC has a candidate, a campaign director-general and a flag-off date, and the election dates are fixed. Voters should focus on the manifesto when it appears, the legal changes under the 2026 Act, and their own voting preparations.

Sources checked

• APC website, 2027 elections page
• Channels TV, Tinubu declared winner of APC presidential primary, 24 May 2026
• Nairametrics, INEC final list of 18 presidential candidates, 12 September 2026
• ThisDay, Tinubu to kick off campaign in Kaduna, 10 October 2026
• VON, APC urges INEC to enforce Supreme Court ruling, September 2026
• Daily Times and Legal 500, summaries of the Electoral Act 2026
• BusinessDay, APC governors rise to 31, 9 March 2026