President Bola Tinubu has emerged as the All Progressives Congress presidential candidate for the 2027 general elections after polling 10,999,162 votes in a nationwide primary, the presidency announced on Sunday.
According to a statement released by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Tinubu received the certificate of return and the party flag from APC chairman Professor Nentawe Yilwatda at the International Conference Centre in Abuja, where he addressed party members and accepted the nomination.
“In accepting this nomination, I renew my commitment to serve our nation with even greater determination,” Tinubu said. “With another four years of disciplined focus and national cooperation, we will firmly place Nigeria on an irreversible path of economic expansion, industrialisation, energy security, infrastructure development, food sufficiency, and democratic consolidation.”
Onanuga said the result was announced by the chairman of the APC Presidential Election Committee, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, who confirmed that voting took place across 36 states, the Federal Capital Territory, 774 local government areas, and 8,809 wards on Saturday, May 23, 2026. Of 12,643,316 registered party members, 11,069,746 were accredited and 11,015,665 cast votes. The only other aspirant in the race, Stanley Osifo, received 16,503 votes.
According to Onanuga, Anyim told the gathering that the primary was conducted in line with INEC procedures, the Electoral Act, and the APC constitution, with votes collated in Abuja by officers drawn largely from the pool of serving governors. He said agents of both aspirants were permitted to challenge results and seek redress where necessary.
The presidency said Tinubu used his acceptance speech to outline the economic record of his first three years and called on party members to defend and showcase the APC’s achievements publicly.
“Our economy has undergone significant structural reform, supported by new tax laws and fiscal policies that have boosted revenue collection for the federation,” the president said. “We promised to remove the financial barriers to higher education for our youth. Today, we have established the Nigerian Education Loan Fund, with over N282 billion disbursed and over 1.5 million beneficiaries.”
