The All Progressives Congress has released a comprehensive timetable for its 2025 and 2026 congresses, setting the stage for a nationwide reorganisation that will culminate in the party’s national convention scheduled for March 2026 in Abuja.
The timetable, announced on December 20, 2025, was signed by the APC National Secretary, Senator Ajibola Basiru. It outlines the conduct of congresses at ward, local government, state and zonal levels as the ruling party begins early preparations for the 2027 general elections.
According to the party, the schedule is in line with relevant provisions of the APC constitution and is designed to promote internal democracy, broad participation and orderly leadership transition across all party structures. The timetable was made public through official party channels and Basiru’s verified social media account.
The process begins with a nationwide electronic membership registration and revalidation exercise, which runs from December 1, 2025, to January 30, 2026. The exercise is aimed at updating the party’s membership database and accommodating new members ahead of the congresses. Formal notices for the congresses will be issued to party chapters in the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory on February 2, 2026.
Activities at the grassroots level will follow shortly after. Nomination forms for ward and local government positions will be sold and submitted between February 4 and February 9, 2026. Screening committees are expected to be inaugurated on February 10, with the screening of aspirants holding from February 11 to February 13.
Ward congresses are scheduled for February 18, 2026, during which new ward executives will be elected. Appeals arising from the ward congresses will be considered the following day. Local government congresses will take place on February 20, 2026, with appeals fixed for February 21. During the local government congresses, delegates to the national convention will also be selected, with the party stipulating that at least one of the three delegates per local government must be a woman.
State congresses will hold on March 7, 2026, to elect members of state executive committees. Appeals from the state congresses are expected to be handled between March 9 and March 11. This phase is seen as critical in shaping the leadership structures that will steer party affairs at the state level ahead of future elections.
Zonal congresses will follow later in the month. Nomination forms for zonal positions and national convention delegates will be available from March 12 to March 17, 2026. The zonal congresses themselves are scheduled for March 21, 2026, across designated centres in the six geopolitical zones, with appeals slated for March 23.
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The entire process will climax with the APC National Convention, billed to hold from March 25 to March 28, 2026, in Abuja. At the convention, national officers, including members of the National Working Committee, are expected to emerge. Party leaders say the convention will also provide a platform for strategic discussions, reconciliation efforts and policy direction as the APC positions itself ahead of the 2027 polls.
The release of the timetable comes amid heightened political activity, including defections from opposition parties and early manoeuvring ahead of future elections. Party sources say the structured timeline is intended to reduce disputes, integrate new members and avoid the internal crises that have previously trailed APC congresses.
As the countdown begins, attention will now shift to how effectively the party manages the process, particularly at the grassroots, where past congresses have sometimes been marred by disputes and litigation. For the APC, the months ahead will test its ability to translate a detailed roadmap into a smooth and unifying political exercise.
