Tinubu Sweeps APC Presidential Primary as ADC Crisis Deepens Ahead of 2027

President Bola Tinubu has emerged victorious in the All Progressives Congress presidential primary after securing an overwhelming endorsement from party members across the country ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The primary election, which was conducted in all 8,809 wards nationwide on Saturday, effectively became a nationwide affirmation of Tinubu’s second-term ambition, as governors, party leaders, delegates, and grassroots supporters rallied behind the President in what party officials described as a peaceful and transparent process.

Tinubu defeated his only challenger, Stanley Osifo, by a massive margin, with results from several states showing near-total support for the President, while Osifo recorded either insignificant votes or none at all in many locations.

The exercise came after earlier endorsements from major organs of the ruling APC, including the National Executive Committee, the National Working Committee, the Progressive Governors Forum, ministers, lawmakers, and state party structures, all of whom had publicly backed Tinubu’s re-election bid.

Despite those endorsements, the APC proceeded with a direct primary election to formally ratify Tinubu as its presidential candidate for the 2027 polls.

Observers noted that the process reflected the President’s growing dominance within the ruling party as APC members across the federation turned out in large numbers to reaffirm their support for his administration and leadership.

Meanwhile, while the APC appeared united ahead of the next presidential election, the opposition African Democratic Congress continued to battle internal disagreements over its own presidential ticket.

The ADC had initially hoped to produce a consensus candidate capable of uniting opposition forces against Tinubu in 2027. However, disagreements among key aspirants, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former Rivers State governor Rotimi Amaechi, and businessman Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, have complicated the process and deepened divisions within the party.

The opposition party is expected to hold its presidential primary on Monday.

Speaking after casting his vote at his polling unit in Ward L2, Ikoyi, Lagos, President Tinubu described the exercise as a strong demonstration of internal democracy and grassroots participation within the APC.

Accompanied by First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu, the President commended party officials and members for conducting a peaceful and orderly exercise across the country.

“This is a demonstration of internal democracy. This is politics; grassroots politics, where every member of the party has a right to participate and be involved. It’s to ensure that we have internal democracy, and it’s peaceful and well-organised,” Tinubu said.

Also reacting to the exercise, the APC National Secretary, Ajibola Basiru, said the primary was peaceful and successful nationwide.

According to him, party members enthusiastically participated in the process, while collation of results was ongoing across states and local government areas.

“Party members were happy to go out and vote for the aspirant of their choice. Results have been collated in all the 774 wards and also across the 36 states and the FCT. Some are still doing their state collation now, as we speak. From what I have seen so far, it’s going to be a landslide victory for President Bola Tinubu,” Basiru stated.

Across different states, the President recorded massive victories.

In Kaduna State, APC members across the 255 political wards unanimously endorsed Tinubu as the party’s presidential candidate. The exercise took place simultaneously across the 23 local government areas of the state and witnessed large crowds of supporters.

Officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission monitored the process alongside party officials to ensure compliance with electoral guidelines.

Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani, who monitored the exercise in parts of the state, praised party members for conducting what he described as a peaceful, transparent, and orderly process.

In Kebbi State, Tinubu secured 5,652 votes in Governor Nasir Idris’s Nassarawa II Ward in Birnin Kebbi Local Government Area.

The result was announced by the state APC Chairman, Alhaji Abubakar Kana-Zuru, who commended party members for their discipline and commitment during the primary.

Bayelsa State also delivered an overwhelming victory for the President, with Tinubu polling a total of 277,192 votes across the state, while Osifo managed only five votes.

Governor Douye Diri, who announced the results after collating figures from all local government areas, said the exercise was peaceful and conducted successfully in all wards.

According to the results announced, Tinubu secured 39,454 votes in Brass, 45,949 in Ekeremor, 22,593 in Kolokuma/Opokuma, 32,487 in Nembe, 24,896 in Ogbia, 46,283 in Sagbama, 74,136 in Southern Ijaw.

In Abia State, President Tinubu also recorded overwhelming support across various wards during the presidential primary exercise. At Igbere Ward A in Bende Local Government Area, former governor of the state and senator representing Abia North, Orji Uzor Kalu, led thousands of party members to participate in the exercise in support of the President’s second-term ambition.

Kalu described the turnout as proof of Tinubu’s growing acceptance among APC faithful across the country, insisting that the President had continued to strengthen the party since assuming office.

Similarly, in Bende, the hometown of the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, more than 13,000 registered APC members reportedly voted for Tinubu under the direct primary system, while Osifo failed to secure any vote.

In Plateau State, party supporters gathered in large numbers across the 17 local government areas to participate in the primary exercise. At the Federal Government College, Jos, which served as the collation centre for Jos North LGA, long queues of APC members were seen waiting patiently to cast their votes.

Party officials described the turnout as unprecedented, noting that members demonstrated strong unity and commitment to the President’s re-election project.

The Chairman of Jos North LGA, J.K. Chris, said the exercise reflected the collective determination of party members to retain power at the centre in 2027.

In Oyo State, the APC presidential primary was conducted across the 351 wards in the 33 local government areas without any reported incident of violence, intimidation, or harassment.

The state coordinator and returning officer for the exercise, Teslim Folarin, commended party members for their peaceful conduct and participation throughout the process.

Speaking after voting in Ward 3, Ibadan North Local Government Area, the APC governorship candidate in the state, Sharafadeen Alli, described the primary as peaceful, transparent, and credible.

He stated that the orderly conduct of the exercise reflected the maturity and discipline of APC members in Oyo State.

In Edo State, Governor Monday Okpebholo, who served as the returning officer for the presidential primary, announced that Tinubu secured 131,096 votes, while his challenger, Stanley Osifo, polled only one vote.

The results were presented by collation officers from the 18 local government areas at the APC Secretariat in Ikpoba Hill, Benin City.

Party leaders in the state hailed the outcome as a reflection of confidence in Tinubu’s administration and leadership style.

In Osun State, Tinubu polled 100,880 votes across the 332 wards in the state, while Osifo recorded zero votes.

The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, who served as the state collation officer, declared the exercise peaceful and successful while announcing the final results in Osogbo.

He commended party members for their commitment and urged them to remain united ahead of the general election.

In Rivers State, President Tinubu was declared winner after polling all valid votes cast during the primary election.

Governor Siminalayi Fubara disclosed that Tinubu secured a total of 280,082 votes, while Osifo failed to record any vote across the state.

Fubara said the exercise was peaceful, transparent, and orderly in all the 23 local government areas of Rivers State.

According to him, the figures were carefully verified before the final declaration was made.

In Gombe State, Tinubu secured 450,517 votes to defeat Osifo, who recorded zero votes.

Governor Muhammadu Yahaya described the result as a clear indication of the confidence reposed in Tinubu by APC members in the state.

Yahaya, who served as the presidential primary collation officer and Tinubu’s coordinator in the state, said the outcome demonstrated the party’s readiness to mobilise support for the President ahead of the 2027 general elections.

While the APC celebrated Tinubu’s emergence as its consensus-backed presidential candidate, the opposition ADC continued to struggle with internal disagreements over its own presidential race.

The Chairman of the ADC Policy and Manifesto Committee, John Oyegun, said the party still preferred a consensus arrangement but warned that it would conduct a direct primary if aspirants failed to reach an agreement.

Oyegun, a former National Chairman of the APC, explained that consensus would help the party save time and prevent unnecessary divisions ahead of the election.

“Consensus will save us valuable time. This would have been better for all of us, but if the aspirants fail to agree, we will follow what the law says. The law says where there is no agreement on consensus, we must conduct a direct primary. If that is what we have to do, we will do it,” he said.

Former Rivers State governor, Rotimi Amaechi, had earlier declared that he would not step down for any aspirant ahead of the ADC primary.

“I am not stepping down for anyone. Let the people decide who they want to lead,” Amaechi stated during a political meeting in Kano.

Businessman Mohammed Hayatu-Deen also rejected calls for him to withdraw from the race, although he pledged to support whoever emerges through a transparent and credible process.

A chieftain of the ADC, Dele Momodu, acknowledged that achieving consensus within the party would be difficult due to the stature of the aspirants and the huge political investments already made by them.

He, however, maintained that a competitive contest would not necessarily weaken the party if the process remained fair and democratic.

Another party chieftain, Timothy Osadolor, urged former Vice President Atiku Abubakar to intensify consultations and negotiations aimed at achieving unity within the opposition party.

According to Osadolor, Amaechi had become a major political force within the ADC and could no longer be ignored in the calculations ahead of the presidential contest.

He also suggested that Hayatu-Deen’s strength might be better utilised in shaping economic policy and governance strategies for the country.

Osadolor further warned that a bitter primary battle could undermine the ADC’s chances in 2027, especially at a time when opposition parties were still trying to build alliances capable of challenging the ruling APC.

Political observers believe the contrast between the APC’s growing unity around Tinubu and the ADC’s internal struggles may shape the early dynamics of the 2027 presidential race as parties begin full mobilisation across the country.