President Bola Tinubu Secures Overwhelming Victory in APC Presidential Primary
President Bola Tinubu has secured a decisive victory over his sole challenger, Stanley Osifo, in the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential primary. The election, which took place across 8,809 wards nationwide, marked a significant step in the party’s efforts to solidify its support for Tinubu’s second-term bid. Party structures across the country delivered endorsements, with the process dominated by support from party organs, governors, and grassroots delegates.
The primary served as an affirmation of Tinubu’s candidacy, with Osifo recording negligible support. While the APC had already endorsed Tinubu through various party organs, including the National Executive Committee, the National Working Committee, and the Progressive Governors Forum, the party proceeded with a direct primary to formally ratify its candidate.
A Demonstration of Internal Democracy
After casting his vote at his polling unit in Ward L2, Ikoyi, Lagos, on Saturday, President Tinubu described the primary as a demonstration of internal democracy. He expressed satisfaction with the conduct of party members who organized parallel ward-level voting across the country.
The President, accompanied by First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu, said, “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. It’s to ensure that we have internal democracy, and it’s peaceful and well-organized.”
Also speaking on the exercise, the National Secretary of the party, Ajibola Basiru, described the primary as peaceful. He said, “Party members were happy to go out and vote for the aspirant of their choice. Results have been collated in all the 774 wards and also across the 36 states and the FCT. Some are still doing their state collation now, as we speak. And tomorrow (today) at the ICC, the state coordinator and collation officers will present the results before the presidential primary election committee. I know that from what I have seen so far in terms of images, it’s going to be a landslide victory for President Bola Tinubu. But we’ll wait till the collation is done.”
Regional Support for Tinubu
In Kaduna, members of the APC across the 255 political wards in the state unanimously affirmed Tinubu as the party’s presidential candidate. The exercise, which took place simultaneously across the 23 LGAs of the state, drew large crowds of party members and stakeholders who turned out to endorse the President for a second term.
In Kebbi State, the President secured 5,652 votes in Governor Nasir Idris’s Nassarawa II Ward, Birnin Kebbi Local Government Area. The result was announced after collation by the Chairman of the APC in the state, Alhaji Abubakar Kana-Zuru, who said Tinubu recorded a landslide victory in the governor’s ward.
In Bayelsa, Tinubu polled a total of 277,192 votes across the state, while Osifo secured just five votes. Announcing the result after collation from all local government areas, the State Collation and Returning Officer, Governor Douye Diri, said the exercise was peaceful and conducted across all wards with full participation from party members.
Strong Turnout in Multiple States
In Abia State, Tinubu also recorded massive support across wards as party members participated in the APC presidential primary. At Igbere Ward A in Bende Local Government Area, former Abia State governor and senator representing Abia North, Orji Kalu, led over 4,000 registered APC members to participate in the exercise in support of the President.
In Plateau State, thousands of party members across the state queued to endorse the President as the party’s sole candidate. At the Federal Government College, Jos, the venue for the Jos North LGA collation, APC members formed long queues from early morning, brandishing their voting slips, while similar scenes were reported in the Central and Southern zones.
In Oyo, the presidential primary witnessed a massive turnout of registered members across the 351 wards in the 33 local government areas of the state, without violence, intimidation, or harassment.
ADC Faces Internal Divisions
While the APC consolidated around Tinubu, the opposition African Democratic Congress (ADC) is still battling internal divisions over its presidential ticket. The ADC had initially pushed for a consensus arrangement, but disagreements among key aspirants—former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, ex-Rivers State governor Rotimi Amaechi, and businessman Mohammed Hayatu-Deen—have complicated efforts to present a united front.
The party is expected to hold its presidential primary on Monday. John Oyegun, Chairman of the 50-member ADC Policy and Manifesto Committee, expressed a preference for a consensus arrangement to produce the party’s presidential candidate. However, he warned that the party would proceed with direct primaries if aspirants failed to reach an agreement.
Continued Support Across the Nation
In Edo State, Governor Monday Okpebholo, who served as returning officer for the presidential primary election in the state, said President Tinubu secured 131,096 votes, while his challenger, Osifo, polled one vote. The collation officers from the 18 LGAs of Edo State presented the results at the APC Secretariat in Ikpoba Hill, GRA.
In Osun State, President Tinubu polled 100,880 votes across the 332 wards, while Osifo recorded zero votes. The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, who served as the state collation officer, declared the exercise peaceful while announcing the result in Osogbo.
In Rivers, the President was declared winner of the primary election after polling all valid votes cast in the exercise. The state Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, said Tinubu secured a total of 280,082 votes, while the second contestant, Osifo, scored zero votes.
In Gombe, Tinubu secured 450,517 votes, defeating Osifo, who polled zero votes. Governor Muhammadu Yahaya described the outcome as a clear indication of the state’s unwavering support for Tinubu and the APC ahead of the 2027 general elections.
