APC Unveils Roadmap for 2026 National Convention

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has officially triggered the countdown to its next major leadership transition, releasing a comprehensive timetable for a nationwide series of congresses that will culminate in a high-stakes national convention in early 2026. The move signals a strategic effort by the ruling party to consolidate its internal structures and harmonize its membership base well ahead of the next general election cycle.

According to the schedule authorized by the party’s National Secretariat, the journey begins not at the ballot box, but through a digital portal. A massive nationwide electronic membership registration exercise is set to kick off on December 1, 2025. This two-month window, closing on January 30, 2026, is intended to create a verified and streamlined database of party loyalists, a move seen as an attempt to minimize the disputes that often plague manual accreditation processes.

Once the digital register is finalized, the party will move into the physical phase of the transition. The grassroots phase of the electioneering process will begin on Wednesday, February 18, 2026, with ward congresses taking place across all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory. This will be followed closely by local government congresses on Friday, February 20, where the battle for influence at the grassroots level is expected to intensify.

The momentum will then shift to the state level. On Saturday, March 7, 2026, the party will hold its state congresses to elect executives who will manage party affairs at the state level. Two weeks later, on March 21, the six geopolitical zones will host their respective zonal congresses. These regional gatherings are critical, as they often determine the power-sharing arrangements and regional blocs that influence the final outcome of the national leadership race.

The process will reach its climax in Abuja with the National Convention, scheduled to run from Wednesday, March 25, to Saturday, March 28, 2026. This four-day event will serve as the ultimate theater for the election of new national officers. Political analysts suggest that the convention will be a defining moment for the party, as it balances the interests of various factions and positions itself for the 2027 electoral battle.

The APC has indicated that this structured sequence is vital for ensuring that every level of the party is adequately represented and that new officers are legally and constitutionally elected. While the dates are now set in stone, the party has promised to release more specific guidelines in the coming weeks, particularly regarding the eligibility of candidates and the specific protocols for the electronic registration phase.

By setting these dates early, the APC leadership appears to be prioritizing stability and order, aiming to avoid the last-minute legal hurdles and internal friction that have characterized previous transition periods. For party members and observers alike, the next few months will be a period of intense mobilization as the ruling party begins the process of self-renewal.