President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has emerged as the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the 2027 general election, securing a decisive victory in the party’s nationwide direct primary held on Saturday, May 23, 2026.
The Chairman of the APC Presidential Primaries Election Committee, Senator Pius Anyim, announced the results at the collation center located at the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre in Abuja. President Tinubu polled 10,999,162 votes to defeat his sole challenger, businessman Stanley Osifo, who recorded 16,503 votes.
The exercise was conducted across 8,809 wards in all 774 local government areas of Nigeria. Following the announcement, President Tinubu received his certificate of return and the party’s symbolic flag from the APC National Chairman, Nentawe Yilwatda, on Sunday, May 24, 2026.
In his remarks regarding the electoral process, President Tinubu praised the party for its adherence to internal democratic principles. He noted that the nationwide direct primary served to strengthen grassroots political engagement within the ruling party.
The primary election was monitored by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as part of the formal preparation for the upcoming 2027 electoral cycle. Party officials described the voting process as peaceful and transparent, marking the official conclusion of the APC's internal selection phase.