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The All Progressives Congress (APC) has extended its ongoing nationwide electronic membership registration exercise to February 8, 2026.
This was disclosed on Thursday by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, while briefing journalists after the 183rd meeting of the APC National Working Committee (NWC).
Morka said the e-registration, which was initially scheduled to end on January 31, 2026, was extended in response to appeals from party stakeholders and enthusiastic members who were yet to complete their registration.
“We just want more members to register. We are responding to the clamour by enthusiastic members who are hoping to register, to afford them more time,” he said.
The APC also announced that its Ward Congresses will hold nationwide on Wednesday, February 18, 2026, while the party’s National Convention has been fixed for March 27 and 28, 2026.
However, Morka disclosed that four states, Osun, Ekiti, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), and Rivers, will be excluded from the upcoming congresses.
According to him, Osun, Ekiti and the FCT are exempted because of forthcoming elections in those areas, noting that congresses in the affected states will be conducted after the elections.
On Rivers State, Morka explained that the state held off-cycle congresses last year and that the tenure of the executives elected at that time is still valid.
“We must wait for that tenure to conclude before we then schedule fresh congresses in Rivers State,” he said.
The NWC also approved the composition of the coordinating committee for the forthcoming National Convention.
Morka said the full list of committee members, including the chairman, as well as details of adjustments made to the congress schedule, will be published and made available to the public on Monday.
Speaking on the extension of the e-registration exercise, APC National Secretary, Senator Ajibola Basiru, dismissed suggestions that the decision was due to poor turnout or insecurity challenges.
Basiru said the exercise has been “tremendously successful,” stressing that reports suggesting otherwise were mischievous and misleading.
“Some people said we extended because of lack of response. That is not correct. The figures I mentioned the last time I briefed you have already been surpassed,” he said.
He explained that the extension followed formal requests from several states and the APC Governors’ Forum during a meeting held earlier in the week.
“We are extending because there were requests from stakeholders at the states and from our body of governors, so that there will not be mischief to say APC extended registration because of lack of response,” Basiru added.
Providing an update on membership figures, both Basiru and Morka revealed that the party has crossed the seven-million mark and continues to grow rapidly.
“We’re pushing seven million now. So far. We are more than that. By now, I’m sure we’ve clocked above that,” Morka said.
Basiru went further to project that APC membership could exceed 12.5 million by the close of the registration window on February 8.
“As of today, the people that are registered for our party are more than the population of over 100 countries in the world. APC is larger than many countries,” he said.
Morka also disclosed that, in line with the party’s drive to fully digitise its operations, applications for the forthcoming congresses will, for the first time, be conducted online.
“This is the first of its kind. We are innovating rapidly, and we hope that sets us apart from the rest,” he noted.
Basiru reiterated that APC e-registration requires two mandatory credentials, the National Identification Number (NIN) and the Voter Identification Number (VIN).
He acknowledged that the requirements have posed challenges for some Nigerians but insisted they are necessary for legal compliance, data integrity and financial inclusion.
“By law, NIN is the basis for any data gathering in Nigeria. You cannot even operate a bank account without NIN. What APC is doing is making our members compliant with the law and financially inclusive,” he explained.
Basiru added that party membership must naturally align with voter registration, stressing that political participation begins with the ability to vote.
“How can you be a member of a political party without being a registered voter? The best way you support your party is your ability to vote,” he said.
The APC leadership expressed confidence that the extended registration period and digital reforms will further strengthen the party’s structure ahead of its congresses and national convention.
