The All Progressives Congress has scheduled Saturday, August 22, 2026, for its primary elections to select candidates for four restored State House of Assembly constituencies in Delta and Kogi states, as well as legislative bye-elections in Gombe, Bauchi, Delta and Kano states.
The party announced the timetable in a schedule signed by its National Organising Secretary, Sulaiman Argungu, and released on Wednesday. The exercise follows the Independent National Electoral Commission’s restoration of four previously suppressed constituencies after court judgments.
The restored constituencies include Abraka, Isoko North II and Ughelli South II in Delta State, and Yagba West II in Kogi State. Residents of the affected areas had been without direct representation in their respective State Houses of Assembly for several years.
The APC timetable also covers forthcoming legislative bye-elections in four states. In Gombe State, the party will conduct a primary for the Gombe/Kwami/Funakaye Federal Constituency, while Disina and Sakwa State Constituencies in Bauchi, Udu State Constituency in Delta and Dawakin Kudu State Constituency in Kano are also included.
The Gombe/Kwami/Funakaye federal seat became vacant following the death of the former lawmaker, Tongo Yaya.
According to the APC schedule, the sale of expression-of-interest and nomination forms commenced on Tuesday, August 18, and will end on Thursday, August 20. Aspirants are also required to submit their completed forms and accompanying documents by the same deadline.
Screening of aspirants, publication of screening results and the hearing of screening appeals are scheduled for Friday, August 21, one day before the primaries.
The party has fixed Monday, August 24, for election appeals.
The financial requirements for aspirants vary according to the legislative position being contested. Aspirants seeking State House of Assembly tickets are required to pay N1 million for the expression of interest form and N5 million as nomination fees, bringing the total to N6 million.
For House of Representatives aspirants, the expression-of-interest fee is N1 million, while the nomination fee stands at N9 million, making a total of N10 million.
The APC has, however, provided concessions for certain categories of aspirants. Female, youth and physically challenged aspirants are required to pay the full expression-of-interest fee but only 50 per cent of the prescribed nomination fee for their respective positions.
The party directed all aspirants to make payments directly into its designated bank account.
The August 22 exercise is significant because it will determine the candidates who will represent the APC in constituencies where elections are either being restored or conducted to fill legislative vacancies.
The restoration of the four previously suppressed constituencies followed court judgments and subsequent action by INEC to return the constituencies to the electoral map. Their restoration is expected to give voters in the affected areas direct representation in their state legislatures.
The primaries will also provide an early test of the APC’s internal electoral machinery as the party prepares for other political contests.
For the affected constituencies, attention will now shift to the screening of aspirants on August 21 and the ability of the party to conduct transparent and credible primaries.
The outcome of the exercise will determine who emerges as the APC’s flagbearers in the forthcoming legislative elections, while unsuccessful aspirants will have an opportunity to challenge the process through the party’s designated appeal mechanism.
With the August 22 deadline fast approaching, political activity is expected to intensify across Delta, Kogi, Gombe, Bauchi and Kano as aspirants make final preparations to secure the ruling party’s tickets.
