The All Progressives Congress has disclosed plans to select its national leadership through a consensus arrangement at its forthcoming convention scheduled for March 27–28, 2026, in Abuja.
The development was confirmed by the Assistant Secretary for Media and Publicity of the APC National Convention 2026, Mary Ikoku, during an interview on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Wednesday.
Ikoku explained that while consensus would be adopted for national leadership positions at the convention, the approach for elective positions during primaries remains uncertain.
“For this convention, the party is adopting consensus. However, when it comes to elective positions, I cannot say for sure because politics is local,” she said.
She noted that decisions regarding candidate selection in primaries may differ across regions, depending on political realities.
“At the end of the day, the outcome of elective positions may not always align with consensus in every area,” Ikoku added.
Speaking on the Electoral Act, she highlighted provisions that regulate party primaries, including requirements for online membership registration and approved methods of candidate selection.
“The law recognises direct primaries and consensus, while indirect primaries have been removed. These are the guiding rules for political parties,” she stated.
Ikoku suggested that challenges faced by some political parties in complying with these provisions reflect a lack of preparation.
“Any serious political party should not wait until election season before putting its structures in place. Preparation is key,” she said.
Meanwhile, the APC has commenced the screening of aspirants vying for positions in its National Working Committee ahead of the convention.
Among those contesting are National Chairman aspirant Nentawe Yilwatda and National Secretary hopeful Ajibola Basiru.
Some current members of the NWC are also seeking re-election into their respective offices.
The party’s convention is expected to shape its leadership structure and set the tone for its political activities ahead of future elections.
