President Bola Tinubu has emerged as the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the 2027 presidential election after securing 10,999,162 votes in the party’s direct primary election conducted nationwide.
Chairman of the APC Presidential Primary Election Committee, Pius Anyim, who announced the results at the Presidential Primary Election Result Collation Centre at the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre, Abuja, said Tinubu defeated his only challenger, Mr. Stanley Osifo, who polled 16,503 votes.
Anyim explained that the primary election was conducted across the 8,809 wards in the country before results were collated at local government, state and national levels.
According to him, the APC adopted the direct primary system not only to elect its presidential candidate but also to deepen democratic participation and promote electoral reforms in Nigeria.
“The direct primary model adopted by the APC is not only an effort to select candidates for the 2027 elections, but more importantly to give effect to the long-standing call for electoral reforms,” he said.
He noted that the APC had become the first political party in the country to adopt the direct primary model for its presidential primary election, adding that the process provided inclusivity, transparency and broader participation for party members.
Anyim said the exercise was monitored by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), members of the diplomatic corps, observers and the media.
He commended President Tinubu for championing the direct primary system, describing him as “swift to act, legendary in vision, and catalytic in prosecuting reforms.
“By this singular act of adopting the direct primary election, you have dismantled the seemingly intractable obstacles hindering the much-desired electoral reforms in Nigeria today.”
Announcing the final results, Anyim said Tinubu recorded overwhelming victories across all the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
In Lagos State, Tinubu polled 814,988 votes against Osifo’s 1,186 votes, while in Adamawa State he secured 644,149 votes against Osifo’s 195 votes.
Kaduna State delivered 618,914 votes for Tinubu, while Imo State returned 582,960 votes. Kano State recorded 500,852 votes for the President, while Katsina State gave him 467,003 votes.
Other states where Tinubu recorded massive votes included Gombe with 450,517 votes, Borno with 414,988 votes, Delta with 407,646 votes, Akwa Ibom with 389,197 votes and Enugu with 383,382 votes.
Osifo’s highest votes came from Niger State where he secured 5,248 votes, followed by Kano State with 2,675 votes and Bauchi State with 2,650 votes.
At the end of the exercise, Tinubu polled a total of 10,999,162 votes, while Osifo scored 16,503 votes.
Declaring the result, Anyim said: “When the final result is declared, the winner should wear his crown with humility, knowing that victory is a trust from the people. Those who do not prevail should wear their honour with pride, because in this room no vote is wasted and no voice is silent.”
He assured aggrieved aspirants and party members that the APC Presidential Primary Election Appeals Committee chaired by former Katsina State Governor, Aminu Bello Masari, remained open to entertain complaints arising from the exercise.
