The APC screening exercise ahead of the 2027 general elections recorded the absence of Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, even as the party assessed 14 governors seeking re-election and other elective positions.
Also, President Bola Tinubu’s sole challenger, Stanley Osifo, was screened. The APC began selling its expression of interest and nomination forms on April 28, with the exercise closing at midnight on May 6.
The screening of serving governors began on May 8 and is expected to conclude on May 10 (today), while the party adopted both consensus and direct primaries in accordance with the Electoral Act 2025.
The party’s primaries are scheduled to be held in phases, beginning with the House of Representatives on May 15, followed by the Senate on May 18, State Houses of Assembly on May 20, the governorship on May 21, and the presidential primary on May 23.
Appeal committees are expected to convene after each exercise to address disputes arising from the primaries. The Independent National Electoral Commission has fixed the presidential and National Assembly elections for January 16, 2027, while governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections are slated for February 6, 2027.
INEC also announced that political parties will conduct their primaries and resolve related disputes between April 23 and May 30, 2026.
According to the commission, campaigns for presidential and National Assembly elections will commence on August 19, 2026, while campaigns for governorship and State Assembly elections are scheduled to begin on September 9, 2026.
The APC screening committee for sitting governors is chaired by the APC National Chairman, Nentawe Yilwatda, while the party’s National Secretary, Surajudeen Basiru, serves as secretary.
Among the governors screened were Abba Yusuf of Kano State, Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State, Nasir Idris of Kebbi State, Caleb Muftwang of Plateau State, and Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia of Benue State.
Others included Ebonyi State Governor, Francis Nwifuru, and Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori.
The committee also screened Niger State Governor, Umar Bago; Zamfara State Governor, Dauda Lawal; Cross River State Governor, Bassey Otu; and Sokoto State Governor, Ahmed Aliyu, as part of the ongoing exercise.
“So far, we have screened over 14 governors and the exercise is still ongoing,” a principal official of the APC, who spoke with Sunday PUNCH on condition of anonymity, said.
