After four hours of deliberation, the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Wednesday released its 2027 election timetable, fixing its presidential primaries for May 23, 2026.
The decision was reached during the party’s 106th NEC meeting held in Abuja, where the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike-aligned leadership reinforced its grip on the party’s internal structures.
In a communique signed by the National Publicity Secretary of the Caretaker Committee, Jungudo Mohammed, the NEC laid out an ambitious roadmap leading up to the 2027 general elections.
The party’s legislative and gubernatorial primaries are set to take place throughout early May, following the submission of the party’s register to the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC on April 10.
The NEC expressed its full support for the Alhaji Abdulrahman Mohammed-led Caretaker Committee, praising its efforts in “stabilizing the party and guiding its affairs during this transitional period.”
The body also formally welcomed recent Court of Appeal judgments that affirmed the committee’s authority.
NEC noted with satisfaction the successful conduct of the ward and local government congresses across the country and expressed confidence that the state congresses scheduled to hold this weekend would be conducted peacefully, transparently and in strict compliance with the constitution and guidelines of the party,” the communique stated.
In a direct message to the Tanimu Turaki faction, the NEC emphasised the “urgent need for reconciliation” while simultaneously calling on aggrieved members to abandon further legal challenges, specifically any move to approach the Supreme Court.
The leadership stressed that “the strength of the PDP lies in its ability to resolve internal disagreements through dialogue, mutual respect and adherence to party structures,” and urged all parties to “refrain from pushing further litigation… in the guiding interest of unity, stability and the future of the party.
To enhance transparency, the NEC approved the expansion of electronic membership registration to “modernize the party’s membership database and strengthen grassroots participation.” The move comes as the party aligns its internal clock with INEC’s revised 2027 timetable, which requires the notice of election to be issued no later than 300 days before the polls.
The approved PDP primary timetable is as follows: submission of Register: 10th April 2026, State Assembly Primaries: 2nd May 2026, National Assembly Primaries: 9th May 2026, Gubernatorial Primaries: 16th May 2026 and Presidential Primaries: 23rd May 2026.
The NEC also addressed recent pockets of unrest, “strongly condemning” an attack by hoodlums on party faithful during congresses in Oyo State.
Describing the incident as “unfortunate and unacceptable,” the party called on security agencies to “thoroughly investigate the incident and ensure that those responsible are brought to justice.”
The meeting concluded with a call for all leaders and stakeholders to remain “united, disciplined, and focused” as the party prepares for its National Convention on March 29 and 30, 2026, where a new National Working Committee NWC is expected to emerge.
