President Bola Tinubu has secured overwhelming support across the country in the All Progressives Congress presidential primary, effectively becoming the party’s sole candidate for the 2027 general election after sweeping endorsements from party structures nationwide.
Tinubu faced only one challenger, Stanley Osifo, who recorded minimal support as the exercise, conducted across 8,809 wards, largely served as an affirmation of the president’s candidacy.
Party officials said the process, which involved ward-level voting and collation across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, produced a landslide result in Tinubu’s favour.
Although APC organs, including the National Executive Committee, the National Working Committee and the Progressive Governors Forum, had earlier endorsed Tinubu, the party proceeded with the formal primary to ratify his candidacy.
President Tinubu, who voted at his polling unit in Ikoyi, Lagos, described the exercise as a demonstration of internal democracy.
“This is a demonstration of internal democracy,” he said. “It’s politics; grassroots politics, where every member of the party has a right to participate and be involved.”
APC National Secretary Ajibola Basiru said results were being collated nationwide and expressed confidence in a decisive victory for the president.
“Results have been collated in all the 774 wards and also across the 36 states and the FCT,” Basiru said.
Across the country, state chapters reported near-unanimous endorsements.
In Kaduna State, party members across 255 wards affirmed Tinubu as the sole candidate, with officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission monitoring the exercise.
Governor Uba Sani described the process as peaceful and orderly.
In Kebbi State, Tinubu reportedly secured 5,652 votes in the governor’s ward alone, according to APC state officials.
In Bayelsa State, the president polled 277,192 votes, while Osifo received five, according to results announced by Governor Douye Diri, who served as returning officer.
Similar results were recorded in Abia, Plateau, Oyo, Edo, Osun, Rivers and Gombe states, where Tinubu won by wide margins and Osifo recorded little or no support in most areas.
In Rivers State, Governor Siminalayi Fubara said Tinubu won all valid votes cast across the state’s 23 local government areas.
Analysts within the opposition African Democratic Congress, meanwhile, said internal disagreements among leading aspirants — including Atiku Abubakar, Rotimi Amaechi and Mohammed Hayatu-Deen — could complicate efforts to present a united front ahead of its own primary scheduled for Monday.
Former APC National Chairman John Oyegun said the ADC would prefer a consensus arrangement but would proceed with direct primaries if no agreement is reached.
“Consensus will save us valuable time,” Oyegun said. “If that is what we have to do, we will follow what the law says.”
Amaechi, speaking in Kano, said he would not withdraw from the race.
“I am not stepping down for anyone. Let the people decide who they want to lead,” he said.
ADC chieftain Timothy Osadolor urged party leaders to consider consensus-building to avoid a divisive contest.
Political observers say the APC’s nationwide consolidation around Tinubu contrasts sharply with ongoing tensions within opposition ranks as the 2027 election cycle intensifies.
