President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has officially emerged as the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress for the 2027 general election after recording a sweeping victory in the party’s nationwide direct primary election. The exercise, which was conducted across all 8,809 wards in Nigeria, saw Tinubu secure an overwhelming 10,999,162 votes, defeating his only challenger, businessman and politician Stanley Osifo, who polled just over 16,000 votes.
The results were announced at the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre in Abuja by the Chairman of the Presidential Primary Elections Committee and former Senate President, Pius Anyim. According to the official figures released during the collation process, more than 11 million APC members participated in the nationwide exercise, reflecting what party leaders described as a strong show of unity and support for the President ahead of the 2027 elections.
Tinubu recorded commanding victories across the six geopolitical zones, with particularly massive support coming from APC strongholds in the South-West and North-West regions. States such as Lagos, Kano, Kaduna, Katsina, Delta, and Ebonyi delivered huge numbers for the President, while his challenger struggled to gain traction in most states. In several areas, Osifo reportedly failed to record a single vote. ..READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE .
Following the declaration, Tinubu received the party’s certificate of return and flag in the presence of APC governors, members of the National Executive Committee, lawmakers, ministers, and other top party officials. In his acceptance speech, the President expressed gratitude to party members for renewing their confidence in his leadership and pledged to continue working toward national development and unity.
Tinubu also described the primary election as peaceful and inspiring, noting that the process showcased the growth of internal democracy within the APC. He commended party supporters across the country for conducting themselves orderly during the exercise and extended a hand of partnership to political opponents and critics of his administration.
Despite suffering a heavy defeat, Stanley Osifo accepted the outcome of the primary and pledged loyalty to the APC and Tinubu’s candidacy. He maintained that his participation in the contest was part of a democratic process within the ruling party and promised to work for the success of the APC in the forthcoming election cycle.
The APC leadership has since described the outcome of the primaries as proof of the party’s growing strength and nationwide acceptance. Party officials insist the massive turnout during the exercise signals strong momentum for the ruling party as preparations for the 2027 presidential election begin to gather pace.
