APC primaries: Govs, party leaders mobilise massive support for Tinubu

Governors and leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) across several states on Saturday mobilised thousands of party members in support of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu during the party’s presidential primary election ahead of the 2027 general elections.

In Ekiti, Governor Biodun Oyebanji commended the massive turnout of APC members across the 177 wards in the state, describing it as a strong vote of confidence in President Tinubu’s leadership and a reflection of the party’s unity and internal democracy.

The governor, who arrived at Ward 6, Ikogosi-Ekiti, at about 10:35 a.m. to participate in the presidential affirmation exercise, described the process as peaceful, orderly, and transparent.

ALSO READ: 2027: Jonathan, opposition can’t stop Tinubu’s re-election — Namadi

Speaking with journalists after the exercise, Oyebanji said the enthusiasm displayed by party members showed that they were united in purpose and confident in the leadership direction of President Tinubu.

According to him, “You can see the enthusiasm here among our party members to exercise their democratic right. This speaks to internal democracy in the APC. Since we started the primaries some weeks ago, people have come out to vote for candidates of their choice.

“Today is different and historic because this will be the first time that members of the party will have a say in who becomes the presidential candidate of the party and here in our ward in Ikogosi, we have 624 registered party members, 620 votes in favour of President Tinubu to continue as the flag bearer of the party and from the news I have received across the state, it has been a peaceful exercise.

“I must commend APC for deepening internal democracy and offering a platform for every member of the party to have a say in who becomes the presidential flag bearer of the party.”

Oyebanji also expressed confidence that President Tinubu would secure victory in the 2027 presidential election.

“If performance is a yardstick in electoral success, then there is nothing to fear about the victory and the emergence of APC and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the Jan. 2027 presidential election,” he added.

In Oyo, APC governorship aspirant, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, also mobilised party members in support of President Tinubu during the presidential primary held at Ward 9, Ibadan South-East Local Government Area.

Adelabu said the turnout demonstrated the party’s backing for the president’s re-election bid and expressed confidence that Tinubu would emerge victorious both at the primary and the general election.

According to him, APC members across the state remained fully behind the president and believed his administration deserved another term.

He said, “Democracy is the government of the people, by the people, and for the people. So people must have a say in determining who will lead them. That is what we have come here this afternoon to do.

“And you have all seen that out of the two contestants that we have, President Tinubu scored 100 per cent of all the votes we cast here today, while his opponent scored zero votes.

“We were supposed to have two lines here, but we only had one line. President Tinubu has 433 votes out of 437 registered members from Ward 9, Ibadan South-East Local Government. They all voted for President Tinubu. So it was a unanimous vote.

“We did not do any affirmation because there was no consensus arrangement. All we did was a proper election, and President Tinubu carried the day 100 per cent. He scored 433 votes out of 437 registered members in our ward.

“We are very happy that the President has displayed a reflection of good governance in the last three years, which we expect him to continue in the next dispensation come 2027.”

In Anambra, the APC chapter mobilised members across the 326 wards and 21 local government areas in support of President Tinubu during the party’s presidential primary.

Speaking in Awka, the state APC Chairman, Senator Emma Anosike, said the party was fully prepared to ensure the president’s victory in the state during the general election.

He stated, “Tomorrow is the presidential primary election, and we are now preparing to make sure that our President, Ahmed Bola Tinubu, emerges tomorrow, and we are going to mobilise all our members of our party, and I mean all registered members of our party.

“We shall be there to go to the field ward by ward because the election is a direct primary election.

“We shall be at the wards to interface and all of us, the state executive members, would be there to supervise whatever is happening.”

Anosike also appreciated Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma for supporting the party in Anambra State.

“We thank the Governor General of Imo State, Sen. Hope Uzodimma, who has been making it possible for us to pull through and we know that some people call us orphans, but with Hope Uzodimma we are not orphans,” he said.

The APC chairman further spoke on the recently concluded State and National Assembly primaries.

“As I speak to you, we have 27 candidates for the House of Assembly, 11 House of Representatives candidates, and three senatorial candidates for the general elections, which has not happened before in the APC in Anambra State.

“We have just concluded a major assignment for our party, which is the primary elections for the State and National Assembly.

“I wish to tell you it was free, fair and transparent and the turnout of our members was great and that tells the world that we are on ground and ready for the main general election,” he stated.

Similarly, members and supporters of the APC in Kwara State endorsed President Tinubu as the party’s presidential candidate during the presidential primary conducted across the 193 wards in the state.

Speaking after voting at his Adewole Ward in Ilorin West Local Government Area, Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq described the exercise as a total endorsement of President Tinubu and his economic policies.

According to him, the president secured 100 per cent of the votes cast in the state, while the second aspirant, Stanley Osifo, recorded no votes.

The governor also defended the administration’s economic reforms, saying they had improved federal allocations to states and reduced dependence on loans for infrastructure projects.

Declaring the result at the Kwara APC Collation Centre in Ilorin, AbdulRazaq said the president polled 310,990 votes to defeat his challenger, Stanley Osifo, who scored nil.

“I am glad to be here today for the conclusion of the All Progressives Congress (APC) primaries which began with the House of Representatives, senatorial, Senate, House of Assembly and governorship primaries,” he said.

“I, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, the Collation Officer of the 2026 APC presidential primaries for Kwara State, hereby present the result of the state as follows: Total number of party registered members, 457,374. Total number of accredited voters, 310,990. Total number of votes cast, 310,990.

“At the end of the voting exercise, the aspirants scored the following votes: Bola Ahmed Tinubu, 310,990. Stanley Osifo, nil.

“His Excellency President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, having satisfied the requirements of the APC guidelines and scored the highest number of votes, is hereby declared the winner.”