By Wellington Jopelo
President Bola Tinubu has secured a sweeping victory in the All Progressives Congress presidential primary after defeating his only challenger, Stanley Osifo, in a nationwide exercise dominated by endorsements and massive party support.
The APC primary, held across states and wards nationwide, saw Tinubu record overwhelming victories as governors, party leaders, and grassroots delegates openly backed his second-term ambition ahead of the 2027 general elections.
In many states, the President defeated Osifo by huge margins, with some states recording almost no votes for the challenger. In Edo State, Tinubu polled 131,096 votes while Osifo secured just one vote across the state.
Kano and Borno states delivered a combined total of 915,840 votes for the President during the primaries. In Kano alone, Tinubu scored 500,852 votes while Osifo received 2,675 votes.
Tinubu also swept through Jigawa, Ogun, and Imo states with landslide victories. In Jigawa, he polled 206,520 votes with Osifo recording zero votes, while in Ogun State he secured 322,485 votes against zero for his challenger.
In Imo State, Tinubu received 582,960 votes while Osifo managed 103 votes. APC officials described the exercise as peaceful, transparent, and well organised across most parts of the country.
Party leaders in several states said the outcome reflected Tinubu’s strong control of the APC structure ahead of the next election cycle. Governors and senior party figures also praised members for turning out in large numbers during the exercise.
Despite the heavy defeat, Stanley Osifo later said he remained loyal to the APC and would accept the outcome of the primary. The Edo businessman described himself as a committed party member who would not act against the interests of the ruling party.
The primary election has further strengthened Tinubu’s position within the APC as preparations gradually begin for the 2027 presidential election. Political observers believe the outcome also shows the President still enjoys overwhelming influence within the ruling party structure nationwide.