By CHARLES CHIJIOKE
Nigeria’s ruling party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), has commenced the screening of sitting governors seeking re-election as well as governors aspiring to contest Senate seats ahead of the 2026 electoral cycle, in what analysts describe as a critical phase in the party’s internal power calculations.
The exercise, according to details released by the party, is being coordinated by a high-powered committee chaired by APC National Chairman, Nentawe Goshwe Yilwatda, while the APC National Secretary, Surajudeen Ajibola Basiru, serves as secretary of the panel.
Other members of the committee include officials of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC), underscoring the significance the APC leadership attaches to the screening process.
The party disclosed that the screening exercise for incumbent governors seeking another term in office or planning to transition to the Senate will take place from Friday, May 8 to Saturday, May 9, 2026, at the Plateau State Governors Lodge.
“Proceedings commence at 4:00 PM on the first day and 10:00 AM on the second day,” the party stated.
The APC also announced that the screening for all other governorship aspirants will hold separately from Saturday, May 9 to Sunday, May 10, 2026, at the APC National Secretariat, with activities expected to begin at 10:00 AM daily.
The development signals the formal intensification of political realignments within the ruling party as governors completing their constitutional terms weigh Senate ambitions while others push for second terms amid growing succession battles across several states.
Political observers say the screening exercise could shape the balance of power within the APC, especially in states where outgoing governors are seeking to retain influence through Senate bids or preferred successors. The process is also expected to test the party’s ability to manage internal disputes, defections, and competing interests ahead of the primaries.
The inclusion of top NWC members in the screening committee is being viewed as an attempt by the APC leadership to ensure tighter control over the selection process and reduce the likelihood of post-primary litigations that have troubled political parties in previous election cycles.
With multiple governorship hopefuls already mobilising across the country, the outcome of the screenings may determine which aspirants emerge as frontrunners in the race for APC tickets ahead of the 2026 governorship contests and subsequent national elections.
