Ola Wale
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) on Sunday, May 3, 2026, officially released its timetable for the 2026 primary elections ahead of the 2027 general elections, with the presidential nomination form pegged at ₦100 million. The announcement was made by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, who said the schedule reflects ADC’s commitment to internal democracy and compliance with the Electoral Act.
According to the timetable, the process is already underway. Collection of application forms ran from April 1 to May 4, 2026. Sale of nomination forms will take place from May 5 to May 10, while completed forms must be submitted between May 11 and May 13. Screening of aspirants is slated for May 14 to May 15, with results published on May 17. Appeals will be heard May 18–19, and the final list of cleared aspirants comes out May 20.
Primaries for State Houses of Assembly, House of Representatives, and Senate seats will hold simultaneously at the ward level on May 21, 2026. Governorship primaries are fixed for May 22, while the presidential primary is scheduled for May 25. The party will then hold a National Executive Committee meeting on May 26 and a Special National Convention on May 27 for final ratification of candidates.
On fees, ADC set a structured regime: presidential form at ₦100 million, governorship at ₦50 million, Senate at ₦20 million, House of Representatives at ₦10 million, and State House of Assembly at ₦3 million. To broaden participation, the party is offering a 50% discount for youths and 25% for women and persons with disabilities.
Abdullahi stressed that all members, stakeholders, and aspirants must strictly adhere to the outlined schedule and INEC guidelines. The timetable aligns with INEC’s electoral calendar, which requires parties to hold primaries before May 30, 2026, and submit membership registers by May 10.
The announcement comes as ADC navigates internal legal battles over leadership between the David Mark-led faction and others, with pending court cases that could affect its 2027 participation. Despite the disputes, Mark has insisted the party will be on the ballot. The party also faces the challenge of picking a consensus candidate from a field of heavyweights including Peter Obi, Atiku Abubakar, and others reportedly in coalition talks.
The ADC urged aspirants to follow the process closely, noting that the nomination, screening, and primary dates are binding. With the presidential form at ₦100m, the party joins APC and PDP in setting high nomination fees as the race to 2027 intensifies.
