President Bola Tinubu has emerged as the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2027 general election after recording a sweeping victory in the party’s nationwide direct primary.
Tinubu was officially declared winner of the contest on Sunday following the conclusion of voting and collation across the country’s 8,809 wards and 774 local government areas.
The APC presidential primary, conducted on Saturday, produced an overwhelming mandate for the incumbent president, who faced businessman and APC chieftain Stanley Osifo from Edo State as his only challenger.
Chairman of the APC Presidential Primaries Election Committee, Senator Pius Anyim, announced the final results at the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre in Abuja.
According to Anyim, a total of 12,643,306 party members were registered for the exercise nationwide, while 11,069,756 members were accredited to participate in the voting process.
He disclosed that 11,015,665 valid votes were cast during the primary election.
Reading the results, Anyim stated that President Tinubu secured 10,999,162 votes, while Osifo polled 16,503 votes.
“I am also to confirm that there were two aspirants to the APC 2026 presidential primary elections, namely the incumbent president, President Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, GCFR, and Mr. Stanley Osifo,” Anyim said.
“Mr. President, the election had been collated, the results have been computed, and I can say on behalf of the committee that the following were the records of the elections.”
He added that Tinubu satisfied the constitutional requirements and guidelines of the APC and therefore stood duly elected as the party’s presidential candidate for the 2027 election.
“Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, it is therefore my duty as returning officer for this primary election to declare President Bola Tinubu, having satisfied the requirements of the APC constitution and guidelines and scored the highest number of votes, hereby declared winner of the presidential primary election and returned as the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress for the 2027 general elections,” Anyim announced.
Following the declaration, APC National Chairman Nentawe Yilwatda presented Tinubu with the symbolic party flag and certificate of return before party supporters and senior officials gathered at the venue.
Vice President Kashim Shettima and First Lady Oluremi Tinubu were also present during the announcement and presentation ceremony.
Speaking shortly after accepting the nomination, Tinubu expressed appreciation to party members for what he described as a massive show of confidence and support.
“Thank you all of you. You changed the landscape, looking at the figure that you returned,” the president said.
The victory now positions Tinubu as the APC flag bearer for the 2027 presidential election, where he is expected to seek a second term in office under the ruling party’s platform.
