Tinubu Polls 10.9 Million Votes To Clinch APC Ticket, Pledges Second-Term Reforms

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has officially emerged as the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the 2027 election, scoring a landslide 10,999,162 votes in the party’s nationwide primary held on Saturday, May 23, 2026.

Accepting his certificate of return and the party’s flag at the International Conference Centre in Abuja on Sunday, the President promised to consolidate economic reforms, secure progress, and strengthen the foundation of a modern Nigeria if granted a second term.

“In accepting this nomination, I renew my commitment to serve our nation with even greater determination,” Tinubu told a gathering that included National Assembly members, serving and former governors, ministers, and party stalwarts.

“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.”

Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, Chairman of the APC Presidential Election Committee, announced that the primaries followed INEC procedures, the Electoral Act, and the party’s constitution. Voting took place across all 36 states, the Federal Capital Territory, 774 local councils, and 8,809 wards.

According to Anyim, 12,643,316 party members were registered, 11,069,746 were accredited, and 11,015,665 valid votes were cast. The only other aspirant, Stanley Osifo, polled 16,503 votes.

The chairman described the process as fair, noting that agents of both aspirants were allowed to challenge results and seek redress.

In a wide-ranging speech, President Tinubu defended his administration’s record, citing structural economic reforms, new tax laws, and fiscal policies that boosted federation revenue. He said the Nigerian Education Loan Fund has disbursed over N282 billion to more than 1.5 million beneficiaries.

On power supply, the President said the government had closed the metering gap with 2.5 million meters via the Presidential Metering Initiative, established a N4 trillion bond programme to settle legacy debts, and achieved peak generation of 6,000MW – 50 per cent higher than inherited levels.

“We moved away from wasteful fuel subsidies, unstable exchange rates, and weak infrastructure,” he said. “Today, we are witnessing a turnaround: the naira is strengthening, foreign reserves are rising, and our economic outlook is positive despite the inflationary disruption caused by the war in Iran and the geopolitical crisis in the Middle East.”

Tinubu also acknowledged lingering security challenges, vowing: “We will not rest until we restore peace and stability to every corner of our country.”

Striking a conciliatory note, he extended a hand of partnership to political opponents, saying: “To those who may disagree with us politically, we extend a hand of partnership in nation-building. To those who differ with our philosophy, we offer dialogue and engagement, confident that the sincerity of our purpose and the results of our work will speak for themselves.”

The President thanked party members for giving him another opportunity to fly the APC flag in next year’s election.