President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has emerged as the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) after polling 10,999,162 votes in the party’s nationwide presidential primary, pledging to consolidate ongoing economic reforms and strengthen Nigeria’s democratic and developmental foundations if re-elected.
Tinubu accepted the party’s nomination on Sunday at the International Conference Centre in Abuja after receiving the APC flag and certificate of return from the party’s National Chairman, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda.
Speaking before party leaders, governors, lawmakers, ministers, and supporters, the President expressed gratitude to APC members for renewing his mandate to fly the party’s flag in the 2027 presidential election.
“In accepting this nomination, I renew my commitment to serve our nation with even greater determination,” Tinubu said.
He added that another four years of “disciplined focus and national cooperation” would place Nigeria on “an irreversible path of economic expansion, industrialisation, energy security, infrastructure development, food sufficiency, and democratic consolidation.”
Chairman of the APC Presidential Election Committee, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, who announced the results, said the exercise was conducted in line with the Electoral Act, INEC guidelines, and the APC constitution.
According to him, voting took place across the 36 states, the Federal Capital Territory, 774 local government areas, and 8,809 wards on Saturday, May 23, 2026.
Anyim disclosed that out of 12,643,316 registered party members, 11,069,746 were accredited, while 11,015,665 members voted. Tinubu secured 10,999,162 votes, while his challenger, Stanley Osifo, polled 16,503 votes.
He stated that the process was transparent and allowed both aspirants’ agents to challenge results where necessary.
In his acceptance speech, Tinubu highlighted what he described as key achievements of his administration in the last three years, urging party members to promote the APC’s record since assuming power in 2015.
The President said his administration had undertaken major structural reforms, including new tax and fiscal policies aimed at boosting government revenue.
He also pointed to the Nigerian Education Loan Fund, noting that over N282 billion had been disbursed to more than 1.5 million beneficiaries.
On the power sector, Tinubu said the government had supplied 2.5 million meters through the Presidential Metering Initiative and established a N4 trillion bond programme to settle legacy debts owed to electricity generation and gas companies.
According to him, power generation had at times reached 6,000 megawatts — about 50 per cent higher than what his administration inherited.
Tinubu defended the removal of fuel subsidies and exchange rate reforms, saying the policies were already yielding positive results.
“We are witnessing a turnaround: the naira is strengthening, foreign reserves are rising, and our economic outlook is positive,” he said, while attributing inflationary pressures partly to geopolitical tensions in the Middle East.
The President also highlighted ongoing infrastructure projects, including coastal highways and the Sokoto-Badagry road corridor, as well as reforms in the oil and gas sector aimed at attracting fresh investment.
On security, Tinubu acknowledged persistent challenges in some parts of the country but assured Nigerians that his administration remained committed to restoring peace and stability nationwide.
“We will not rest until we restore peace and stability to every corner of our country,” he said.
He further called for unity and political inclusiveness, extending “a hand of partnership in nation-building” to political opponents and emphasizing dialogue and democratic engagement.
