Tinubu secures APC presidential ticket with over 10.9 million votes

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By Boluwatife Oshadiya | May 25, 2026

Key Points

• President Bola Tinubu won the APC presidential primary with 10,999,967 votes across 8,809 wards nationwide
• Sole challenger Stanley Osifo secured 16,504 votes in the direct primary election
• APC leaders described the exercise as a demonstration of the ruling party’s nationwide strength ahead of the 2027 elections

Main Story

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has emerged as the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress for the 2027 general election after securing 10,999,967 votes in the party’s nationwide direct primary election.

The results were announced on Sunday during the national collation exercise held at the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre in Abuja by former Senate President Pius Anyim, who chaired the Presidential Primary Election Committee.

Tinubu defeated his sole challenger, Stanley Osifo, who polled 16,504 votes nationwide. The presidential primary was conducted across all 8,809 wards in the country under the APC’s direct primary system.

According to the committee, 12.64 million party members were registered for the exercise, while more than 11 million members were accredited to vote.

Tinubu recorded dominant victories across all six geopolitical zones, including strong performances in Lagos, Kano, Kaduna, Katsina, Rivers, Delta, Imo, Benue and Akwa Ibom states.

In the South-West, considered a major APC stronghold, Tinubu secured 814,988 votes in Lagos, 322,485 in Ogun and 181,996 in Ondo State. He also maintained a commanding lead in northern states, polling 618,914 votes in Kaduna and 500,852 votes in Kano.

The exercise concluded the APC’s schedule of primaries ahead of the 2027 elections, following earlier contests for House of Representatives, Senate, governorship and state assembly tickets conducted throughout the week.

What’s Being Said

Accepting the nomination, Tinubu thanked party members for their support and described the primary election as peaceful and encouraging.

“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,”

The President also said the exercise reflected growing confidence in the APC across the country.

“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,” he stated.

APC National Chairman Nentawe Yilwatda described the ruling party as Nigeria’s dominant political force ahead of the next election cycle.

“The APC is becoming the rallying point for all political parties. Everybody wants to be in the APC,” Yilwatda said.

Meanwhile, Osifo accepted the outcome of the primary and pledged to support the party’s candidate in the general election.

“We are one party, we are members of the All Progressives Congress, we are one family,” Osifo said after the collation process.

What’s Next

• The APC is expected to inaugurate its presidential campaign structures in the coming months ahead of the 2027 elections
• Opposition parties are also preparing for their own primaries and coalition talks before the official campaign season
• Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission is expected to release updated timelines and guidelines for the 2027 general elections

Bottom Line

The Bottom Line: Tinubu’s overwhelming victory reinforces his control of the APC and signals the party’s intention to enter the 2027 elections from a position of organisational strength. The scale of the vote also highlights how the new Electoral Act 2026 and the adoption of direct primaries are reshaping internal party politics ahead of the next national election.