Tinubu Secures APC Ticket with Over 10 Million Votes in Direct Primary
APC officials declared President Bola Tinubu the party's 2027 presidential nominee after a nationwide direct primary that reportedly produced 10,999,162 votes for the incumbent and 16,503 for challenger Stanley Osifo. Supporters described the turnout as proof of party unity, while critics disputed some state totals as implausibly high.
APC officials said the direct primary was held across 8,809 wards on May 23 and ended with President Bola Tinubu claiming the party's presidential ticket for 2027.
Result announced
According to the figures released after the vote, Tinubu polled 10,999,162 votes while challenger Stanley Osifo received 16,503. Tinubu voted in Ikoyi, Lagos, and said the scale of participation showed that the party still has strong grassroots structures across the country.
Reform message
After the result was announced, Tinubu argued that the primary reinforced his mandate to continue with the administration's economic reform programme despite the pressure those reforms have placed on households and businesses. Supporters inside the party framed the outcome as a sign of unity and loyalty around the incumbent.
Criticism of the totals
The announced figures immediately drew criticism from opponents and independent observers. They pointed to state tallies such as Imo's reported 582,960 votes, noting that the number was higher than the state's turnout in the 2023 general election and raising questions about whether some of the primary totals were inflated.
Why it matters
The result gives the APC an early headline ahead of the wider 2027 cycle, but it also increases pressure on the party to defend the credibility of its nomination process as other parties position for the election.