When APC stakeholders endorsed Tinubu as sole candidate for 2027

Last week, top officials of the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and principal officers of the 10th National Assembly, who are members of the ruling party, governors and other leaders of the party gathered at the Presidential Villa for an event. Like everything dramatic orchestrated by politicians, the gathering tagged:  APC National Summit, with the theme, “Renewed Hope Agenda: The Journey So Far,” however turned out to be a decoy. What played out to be the real “summit” was the endorsement of incumbent President Tinubu as the sole candidate of the party for the 2027 election.

There were indications that prior to historic proclamation of Tinubu as sole candidate, the national chairman of the APC, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, had given the nation an inkling of what to expect as zonal executives of the party embarked on a voyage of endorsement of Tinubu as sole candidate for the 2027 presidential race. There were also pockets of endorsements by the National Assembly Caucus of some states across the party divides.

Barely 24 hours to the national summit, governors of the APC under the aegis of Progressives Governors Forum, had met at the Imo State Governor’s Lodge, Asokoro, Abuja, where they unanimously passed a resolution of automatic ticket for President Tinubu. It was therefore not surprising when the Imo governor and chairman of the forum, Senator Hope Uzodimma, set the tone for the adoption of Tinubu. He said: “As I speak, only this afternoon, members of the Progressive Governors Forum met at my lodge and took five different decisions to bring to the leadership and members of our great party; taking advantage of this summit that we are satisfied with, the mid term review and performance evaluation report of the Renewed Hope Agenda.

“We are aware that Nigerian nation is moving in the right direction, economically, socially and politically, and that we are convinced that under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Nigeria will get to her destination faster in prosperity.

“We have made the resolution of these governors that the president be used and be adopted as our flag bearer for 2027 presidential election, for the second time in office. “That the governors produced by All Progressive Congress are hereby charged to take responsibility to manage federal government policies, occupied the political space in their domains and take responsibility for winning all elections in their states.”

He subsequently moved the motion for the adoption of Tinubu, which was seconded by his Kaduna State counterpart, Senator Uba Sani.

In the same vein, President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, moved the motion for Tinubu’s adoption by the APC National Assembly Caucus and it was seconded by the Speaker, House of Representatives, Honourable Tajudeen Abbas. He said: “I move that the President be returned as the candidate of the APC in 2027 and as the President of Nigeria.”

Senator Akpabio urged the party leaders to walk their talk in ensuring Tinubu’s victory as he cautioned that eloquent speeches do not translate to votes. Akpabio, who recalled that the race was turbulent for Tinubu in 2023, however assured that his victory would be seamless in 2027.  “So, there is no need for eloquent speeches. Let the results that will come in 2027 reflect the action and the speeches that we are saying here today.

“Please, note that in politics, it’s not over until it’s over. It’s the tree that bears the sweetest fruit that also gets the highest amount of stones.

“So, everything said here will show that yes, you are on course. You did it in Lagos, you are doing it in Nigeria. Even Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, has changed. The diplomats have confirmed that. This was not the way it was before you came. The economy has changed.

“But the reality is that we are not there yet, and we don’t want them there. Of course, mischief-makers are still meeting in the night, so politics is the game of witchcraft. They meet in the night, and things change in the day.”

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, who seconded Akpabio’s motion, tasked those holding elective and appointive offices on the platform of the party to showcase the present administration’s achievements at the grassroots.

He said: “Now is the time for every APC stakeholder to take our message directly to our communities. An electoral victory in 2027 will not be won on paper alone. It can only be secured by the confidence we inspire among our people.

“We can only inspire confidence by demonstrating how our policies are improving people’s lives and how they will continue to enhance the lives of Nigerians. All of us must effectively market the successes of the Tinubu Administration, specifically the recovery of fiscal health, the job creation drive, the expansion of infrastructure, and the security gains.

“Every APC governor, every APC Senator and Member, every Minister and Commissioner, every Special Adviser and Assistant, every Board Member, and indeed every political appointee of this government must also collaborate with the President to translate his initiatives into tangible benefits that resonate with citizens across every ward.”

Ganduje: Challenge before a behemoth

The APC national chairman, whose office seized the initiative to organise the summit, aligned himself with the admonition of the speaker of the House of Representatives, who challenged top chieftains of the party not to take the grassroots for granted by showcasing the achievements of the Tinubu administration and galvanising support for his victory in 2027. With 22 governors and comfortable majority in both chambers of the parliament, Ganduje who dismissed the main opposition party as a platform in tatters, gasping for breath, however demanded for discipline within the rank and file of the party. While he cautioned against internal rebellion which could distract the leadership from its goals, he appealed to all party leaders to rally behind his National Working Committee to achieve victory for Tinubu. He said: ”The journey isn’t over. Now is the time to deepen grassroots mobilization, embrace party discipline, and support the President’s agenda loyally. Let’s remain focused, resist sabotage, engage our communities, and build a lasting political structure.

“The APC is not just a party — it’s a movement. One built on courage, conviction, and the collective aspiration of over 200 million Nigerians. The APC is here to stay. The APC under my watch is reformed, energized, and expanding. The Renewed Hope Agenda is delivering. The future of Nigeria lies with a strong, stable, and progressive APC. Let’s go forward together, not just as politicians, but as patriots and custodians of Nigeria’s future.”

Painful reforms necessary

An ecstatic Tinubu, who thanked the APC NWC, governors and the NASS caucus for the vote of confidence passed on his administration, restated his conviction to continue with his reform policies which he admitted were painful, but necessary. He insisted that the reforms, including the removal of fuel subsidies, are beginning to yield results and were necessary to secure the country’s long-term future.

“Today, I am proud to announce that our economic reforms are working.

  “There is nothing good that comes easily in life. All of you have been through life. I only threw in a little casual decision to make it easy at the beginning. The subsidy is gone—and it was gone for the good of this country. We couldn’t just afford to spend the future of our children and our unborn babies ahead of their birth.”

“We pledged to tackle poverty and remove insecurity. How fast would you have reconstructed this country if you had allowed the arbitrage in the exchange rate to continue? That is the grandfather of corruption…

“We encountered challenges when we assumed office in May, but we have made progress by implementing difficult, long-overdue, but necessary economic reforms.”

“Because of the reforms, our country now attracts greater foreign investment that will ultimately create jobs and produce much-needed goods and services that will significantly improve the standard of living in our country.”

Unanswered question

As party elders relish the success of the summit, those bemused over the proclamation of automatic ticket for a president who,  by convention,  enjoys the right of first refusal for his party ticket, are gripped with apprehension ahead of the APC congresses and primaries.  With an automatic ticket for Tinubu, it is not unlikely that the governors’ forum under the leadership of Senator Uzodimma would also push for automatic ticket for his members who are exercising first term mandate. Checks revealed that part of the deal sealed with serving federal lawmakers and governors, who had defected into the APC, was the grant of automatic tickets. Party chieftains see the unconfirmed deal as a foreboding development for the party as it could lead to implosion as aspirants would either resist it from within,  or move to other political platforms.

Ganduje must have been wary of this when he declared in his speech at the gathering that party chieftains must be willing to subordinate their ambition for the collective good.

“The APC has welcomed thousands of new members, including high-profile opposition figures and grassroots mobilisers. Notably, we welcomed the Executive Governor of Delta State, Senator Ned Nwoko, former Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, virtually all Delta legislators, Kano Senator Kawu Sumaila, three senators from Kebbi State, and the Abuja Municipal Council Chairman with over 30,000 FCT residents from the PDP. This testifies to our growing appeal.

“Our doors remain open, but we are uncompromising on discipline or progressive ideals. The APC remains open to reconciliation, reintegration, and re-engagement with any stakeholder willing to place national interest above personal ambition.”

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