The All Progressives Congress conducted its presidential primary election on May 23, 2026, using a direct primary system that allowed all registered party members nationwide to vote in their respective wards. The exercise took place simultaneously across 8,809 wards in the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, marking a departure from the delegate-based model previously used by the party.

Two aspirants are contesting in the primary. They are incumbent President Bola Tinubu and Stanley Osifo. Voting was carried out at ward level, with results to be collated first at the local government level by officers appointed jointly by State Coordinators and the party’s National Working Committee. State Coordinators and Collation Officers will aggregate results from all 774 local government areas and forward them to the Presidential Primary Election Committee in Abuja. Final collation is scheduled for May 24, 2026.

The Presidential Primary Election Committee overseeing the exercise is chaired by former Senate President Pius Anyim. Other members of the seven-member committee are Sen. Ken Nnamani, Sen. Victor Udo Udoma, Otunba Grace Titi Laoye-Ponle, Rev. Jolly Nyame, and Idris Wada, with Sanusi Musa serving as Secretary. The party also constituted a Presidential Primary Election Appeal Committee chaired by Hon. Aminu Masari. Thirty-seven State Coordinators and Collation Officers were deployed to manage the process, including Sen. Hope Uzodimma for Imo, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq for Kwara, Prof. Babagana Zulum for Borno, Babajide Sanwo-Olu for Lagos, Siminalaji Fubara for Rivers, Yakubu Dogara for Bauchi, and Benjamin Kalu for Abia.

The build-up to the presidential primary and other APC primaries held earlier in May was accompanied by reports of irregularities and tension in some states. During the House of Representatives primaries in Lagos, there were allegations of voter intimidation and disruptions in several polling centres, including parts of Lagos Mainland. In Edo and Kogi states, claims of irregular vote counting were reported. President Tinubu had earlier called on party members to avoid infighting and to uphold internal democracy and fairness. The Anambra State chapter of the party stated it was mobilizing across 326 wards for the exercise.

Appeals related to the presidential primary are slated for May 25, 2026, after the final collation of results in Abuja