APC primaries: Tinubu polls 10.9m votes to clinch presidential ticket

President Bola Tinubu has clinched the presidential ticket for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in preparation for the 2027 general election. The incumbent president secured a dominant victory in the party's nationwide direct primaries held on Saturday, May 23, garnering 10,999,162 votes. His sole challenger, Stanley Osifo, received 16,503 votes.

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It is, therefore, my duty as returning officer for this primary election to declare President Bola Tinubu, having satisfied the guidelines, as the winner of the APC presidential primary election and hereby declare the presidential candidate of the APC.

The announcement was made by Pius Anyim, the Returning Officer and Chairman of the Presidential Primary Elections Committee, following the collation of results at the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre in Abuja. The primaries, which commenced earlier with elections for the House of Representatives, Senate, state Houses of Assembly, and governorship positions, concluded with the presidential vote. Anyim reported that out of 12,643,30 registered voters, 11,069,756 were accredited, and 11,015,665 votes were cast.

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I accept with profound humility and gratitude the nomination of our great party, the APC, to stand again as your presidential candidate in the 2027 election.

In his acceptance speech, President Tinubu expressed profound humility and gratitude for the nomination, acknowledging the trust placed in him by the party's leadership and members. He described witnessing the primary exercise unfold across the country as a source of inspiration, noting the large turnouts in various cities. Tinubu emphasized his commitment to a politics focused on a single national objective and extended an offer of dialogue and engagement to political opponents and critics, asserting that sincerity and results would define his administration's purpose. He stated that democracy thrives on diversity and a shared belief in the nation.

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I was glued to the television after voting. I saw the mammoth crowd in Kano and Kaduna, the city boy walking the streets of Calabar. It was a good feeling to see that there was no bloodshed, no rancour. This is politics in earnest. This is where we want Nigeria, facing one focus.