APC Adopts Direct Primary for 2027 Presidential Ticket

The All Progressives Congress has adopted the direct primary method for selecting its presidential candidate ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The decision was announced by the party’s National Working Committee (NWC), setting the stage for APC members across the country to vote directly for their preferred presidential aspirant during the party’s primary election.

Under the direct primary system, registered APC members nationwide will participate in the selection process rather than relying solely on delegates.

The development means party members will decide between incumbent President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who is seeking a second term in office, and businessman Osifo Stanley, who has also entered the race after purchasing the party’s N100 million presidential nomination forms.

President Tinubu formally submitted his Expression of Interest and Nomination forms on Thursday at the APC National Secretariat in Abuja. The forms were submitted on his behalf by Vice President Kashim Shettima.

Earlier in the week, member of the House of Representatives, James Faleke, had collected the nomination forms for the president at the party secretariat.

Osifo Stanley, a chieftain of the APC, had also publicly confirmed his intention to contest for the party’s presidential ticket, creating the possibility of an internal contest against the incumbent president ahead of the primaries.

The APC leadership believes the direct primary system will allow broader participation by party members and strengthen internal democracy within the party structure.

The process is expected to attract significant political attention as the ruling party begins formal preparations for the 2027 presidential election.

Direct primaries have remained a major issue within Nigerian political parties in recent years, with supporters arguing that the system gives ordinary party members greater influence in candidate selection.

Critics, however, have raised concerns over logistics, cost implications, and the possibility of internal disputes during nationwide voting exercises.

For the APC, the adoption of direct primaries signals an attempt to project transparency and wider participation as political activities intensify ahead of 2027.

The emergence of additional aspirants against an incumbent president also suggests that internal competition within the ruling party may shape political alignments in the coming months.

President Tinubu’s decision to seek re-election comes amid ongoing debates over economic reforms, governance, and national security, issues that are expected to dominate political campaigns ahead of the general elections.

The APC’s adoption of direct primaries officially opens the party’s presidential selection process to members across the country ahead of the 2027 elections.

With President Tinubu seeking a second term and other aspirants entering the race, the ruling party appears set for a closely watched internal contest that could influence Nigeria’s political landscape in the years leading to the next general election.