KEY POINTS

• Bola Ahmed Tinubu won the 2026 APC presidential primary in a sweeping landslide across multiple states nationwide.
• His sole challenger, Stanley Osifo, recorded minimal to zero votes in most states where results were announced.
• The All Progressives Congress will present Tinubu with his certificate of return and party flag in Abuja on Sunday, officially confirming him as the 2027 candidate.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu secured a decisive and sweeping victory in the 2026 presidential primary of the All Progressives Congress, with results showing overwhelming support across nearly all states where voting was conducted.

The primary, held nationwide on Saturday, saw party delegates and members participating across thousands of wards and local government areas. Early results indicated a dominant performance by the president, who maintained a strong lead from state to state as collation progressed.

In many of the announced results, Tinubu maintained a consistent pattern of large-margin wins, reinforcing his control of the party’s structure and grassroots machinery.

Stanley Osifo, Tinubu’s sole challenger in the primary, recorded extremely low support across several states, with multiple reports indicating zero votes in key strongholds of the APC.

In Rivers State, Tinubu reportedly secured over 280,000 votes, while Osifo received none across all 23 local government areas. A similar trend was recorded in Edo State, where Tinubu won more than 131,000 votes and Osifo managed just a single vote.

The pattern continued in Osun, Ebonyi, Kwara, and Gombe States, where Osifo either failed to secure meaningful support or was completely shut out of the voting results.

Political observers noted that the results reflected a heavily consolidated party structure around the incumbent president, leaving little room for opposition within the primary contest.

State Governors Supervise Peaceful and Transparent Voting Process

Across the federation, state governors served as collation and returning officers for the primary election, overseeing voting exercises conducted across wards and local government areas.

Governors including Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State, Monday Okpebholo of Edo, Muhammadu Yahaya of Gombe, and AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara announced results in their respective states, describing the process as peaceful and orderly.

Reports from several states indicated that voting proceeded smoothly without major disruptions, with party officials commending the high level of coordination and participation among APC members.

The governors also emphasized that the exercise reflected internal democracy within the party, with large voter turnout recorded in multiple regions.

Beyond the official results, several APC-controlled states witnessed strong affirmations of support for Tinubu’s candidacy even before formal announcements were completed.

In Kaduna State, Governor Uba Sani described the turnout as a strong demonstration of unity and loyalty within the party, noting massive participation across all wards.

Similarly, in Imo State, Governor Hope Uzodimma highlighted what he described as widespread grassroots mobilisation in favour of the president, stating that Tinubu had already demonstrated sufficient political strength for re-election.

Party leaders across states attributed the overwhelming support to Tinubu’s governance agenda and internal party cohesion, suggesting that opposition within the APC had significantly weakened ahead of the 2027 general election.

The APC has announced that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will officially receive his certificate of return and party flag on Sunday in Abuja, formally confirming him as the party’s candidate for the 2027 presidential election.

According to Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, the ceremony will take place at the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre and will bring together top party stakeholders, including governors, members of the National Executive Committee, the National Working Committee, and lawmakers.

The event is expected to serve as the formal conclusion of the primary process, consolidating Tinubu’s position as the APC’s flagbearer heading into the next election cycle.