President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has secured a sweeping victory in the All Progressives Congress presidential primary, defeating his only challenger, Stanley Osifo, as party members across the country overwhelmingly endorsed his bid for a second term ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The exercise, conducted across the APC’s 8,809 wards nationwide, turned into a massive endorsement for the President, with party leaders, governors, grassroots delegates, and major organs of the ruling party rallying behind his candidacy.
Although the National Executive Committee, National Working Committee, Progressive Governors Forum, and several state chapters of the APC had earlier endorsed Tinubu, the party proceeded with a direct primary to formally ratify him as its presidential candidate.
Speaking after casting his vote at Ward L2 in Ikoyi, Lagos, Tinubu described the exercise as a reflection of internal democracy within the party.
Accompanied by First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu, the President commended party members for peacefully conducting the ward-level voting nationwide.
“This is a demonstration of internal democracy. This is politics; grassroots politics, where every member of the party has a right to participate and be involved,” Tinubu said.
The APC National Secretary, Ajibola Basiru, also praised the conduct of the exercise, describing it as peaceful and orderly.
According to him, results from the wards and states indicated that the President was heading for a landslide victory.
In Kaduna State, APC members across the 255 political wards unanimously endorsed Tinubu as the party’s candidate, with Governor Uba Sani commending party faithful for what he called a transparent and peaceful exercise.
In Kebbi State, Tinubu secured 5,652 votes in Governor Nasir Idris’s ward in Birnin Kebbi Local Government Area.
Bayelsa State recorded one of the widest margins, with Tinubu polling 277,192 votes against Osifo’s five votes. Governor Douye Diri, who announced the result, said the process was peaceful and conducted in line with party guidelines.
In Abia State, former governor and senator representing Abia North, Orji Uzor Kalu, led thousands of APC members in support of the President during the exercise.
At Bende, the hometown of Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, Tinubu reportedly secured more than 13,000 votes, while Osifo failed to record any votes.
Thousands of APC members also turned out in Plateau State, where long queues were seen at collation centres across the state in support of the President.
In Oyo State, the primary was described as peaceful and credible, with party members participating across all 351 wards in the state’s 33 local government areas.
Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, announced that Tinubu secured 131,096 votes in the state, while Osifo polled only one vote.
Similarly, in Osun State, the President polled 100,880 votes across the 332 wards, while Osifo failed to secure any vote.
In Rivers State, Governor Siminalayi Fubara said Tinubu won all valid votes cast in the exercise, polling 280,082 votes against Osifo’s zero.
Gombe State also delivered a strong showing for the President, with Tinubu polling 450,517 votes. Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya described the outcome as proof of the state’s support for Tinubu and the APC.
While the APC consolidated around Tinubu’s candidacy, the opposition Atiku Abubakar, former Rivers governor Rotimi Amaechi, and businessman Mohammed Hayatu-Deen continued consultations ahead of the African Democratic Congress presidential primary scheduled for Monday.
Chairman of the ADC Policy and Manifesto Committee, John Odigie-Oyegun, said the party still preferred a consensus arrangement but would proceed with direct primaries if aspirants failed to agree.
Amaechi maintained that he would not step down for any aspirant, insisting that party members should decide the candidate through a democratic process.
Media entrepreneur and ADC chieftain, Dele Momodu, said the personalities involved and the huge political stakes made consensus difficult, though he maintained that a competitive primary could strengthen the opposition party if conducted transparently.
