2027: President Tinubu Accepts APC Presidential Ticket, Vows to Deepen Reforms

2027: President Tinubu Accepts APC Presidential Ticket, Vows to Deepen Reforms

ABUJA – President Bola Tinubu on Sunday officially accepted the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential ticket for the 2027 elections, pledging to consolidate ongoing reforms, deepen national development, and push for the creation of state police as a matter of national emergency. Tinubu spoke in Abuja while delivering his acceptance speech after emerging as the APC presidential flagbearer for the 2027 general elections, where he polled 10,999,162 votes to defeat his sole challenger, Stanley Osifo, in the party’s nationwide direct primary election held on Saturday, May 23, 2026. The formal acceptance took place as party leaders, governors, National Working Committee members, and lawmakers gathered at the APC National Secretariat to affirm the President’s candidacy.

President Tinubu opened his acceptance speech by celebrating what he described as a proud moment in Nigeria’s democratic journey. “Today, we celebrate another proud moment in our democratic journey, a history not defined by any individual, but by our collective resolve,” he told the gathering. The President recalled how he emerged as the party’s candidate in 2022 and later became President with the support of party members and Nigerians. “Today, I return as your incumbent President, humbled by your enduring support and encouraged by your continued confidence,” Tinubu said. He emphasized that the task before the party was to sustain continuity, consolidate reforms, and strengthen the foundation of a modern Nigeria. “I accept, with humility and profound gratitude, the nomination of our great party, the APC, to stand again as its Presidential candidate,” he declared. The President thanked party leaders, governors, the National Working Committee, lawmakers, and members for sustaining the unity and strength of the APC.

President Tinubu also expressed gratitude to Nigerians for supporting what he described as the “difficult but necessary path of reform” embarked upon by his administration. He acknowledged that the reforms had brought temporary hardship but insisted they were essential for long-term national prosperity. The President’s acceptance followed earlier comments he made after casting his vote in the primary, where he stated: “Democracy is not sustained by noise, speculation, or borrowed platforms. It is sustained by citizens who show up, party members who believe, institutions that endure, the grassroots, and a political family rooted in the people.” Speaking at his ward in Ikoyi, Lagos, where he and his wife Oluremi Tinubu cast their votes, the President described the primary exercise as proof of the APC’s democratic credentials.

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Highlighting his administration’s achievements in education, President Tinubu announced that the government had established the Nigerian Education Loan Fund to remove financial barriers to higher education for Nigerian youth. “We promised to remove the financial barriers to higher education for our youth. Today, we have established the Nigerian Education Loan Fund,” he said. According to the President, over N282 billion had been disbursed to more than 1.5 million beneficiaries under the student loan scheme, providing access to tertiary education for thousands of Nigerian students who would otherwise have been unable to afford it. The scheme represents one of the largest direct interventions in educational financing in Nigeria’s history.

On power reforms, President Tinubu detailed significant investments in the electricity sector, stating that the administration had supplied 2.5 million electricity meters and established a N4 trillion bond programme to settle legacy debts owed to Generation Companies (GENCOs) and Gas Companies (GASCOs). The Presidential Power Sector Debt Reduction Plan, approved by Tinubu and endorsed by the Federal Executive Council in August 2025, authorized the issuance of government-backed bonds to settle verified arrears. “Under our administration, power generation sometimes peaked at 6000MW, 50 per cent higher than we had inherited,” Tinubu said. Industry data confirms that Nigeria recorded a peak generation of 6,003MW on March 2, 2025 — the highest in the country’s history. The integration of the Zungeru Hydropower Plant, rehabilitation of thermal plants, and grid-strengthening efforts under the Presidential Power Initiative contributed to this achievement.

President Tinubu reiterated that his government had removed fuel subsidy, unified exchange rates, and initiated reforms to strengthen macroeconomic stability and investor confidence. He described the previous subsidy regime as “monumental corruption” and insisted that Nigeria now enjoys greater stability as a result of these difficult decisions. The administration has prioritized infrastructure projects in transportation, power, housing, irrigation, and digital connectivity to drive inclusive growth and industrialization. “We are building concrete, durable roads and superhighways along the coast and on the Sokoto-Badagry route that will last for over 100 years,” the President said. Tinubu acknowledged that many Nigerians still faced economic hardship and rising living costs but assured citizens that the government remained focused on delivering lasting solutions. His position has received backing from party leaders, with Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma — Chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum — declaring that APC governors were united in support of Tinubu’s second term ambition.

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Addressing the country’s security challenges, President Tinubu assured Nigerians that his administration remained committed to restoring peace and strengthening national security architecture across the country. He urged the National Assembly to expedite constitutional amendments to allow the establishment of state police across the federation. “We also expect the National Assembly to amend the Constitution to allow the creation of State police as a matter of national emergency,” the President declared. This marks the latest in a series of calls by Tinubu for decentralized policing. Speaking during an interfaith breaking of fast with senators at the Presidential Villa in February 2026, Tinubu had stated that Nigeria is “extremely challenged” by terrorism, banditry, and insurgency, stressing that decentralized policing is needed to secure forests and protect citizens. In a subsequent meeting with members of the House of Representatives, Tinubu urged lawmakers to ensure that any constitutional amendment creating state police includes safeguards to prevent misuse by governors. Constitutional amendment would require approval by two-thirds of both chambers of the National Assembly and ratification by at least 24 state Houses of Assembly.

The President outlined his administration’s continued focus on industrialization, energy security, food sufficiency, infrastructure development, and democratic consolidation. “Our mission remains clear: To build a Nigeria where every life is secure, where enterprise thrives, and where young people find opportunity,” Tinubu said. He called for national unity and urged Nigerians across political, ethnic, and regional divides to work together for the country’s progress. Tinubu pledged to build a more inclusive government and continue serving Nigerians with sincerity, commitment, and renewed determination. “I pledge to build an even more inclusive government, one that listens, learns, and leads with the best interests of all Nigerians at heart,” the President said.

President Tinubu emerged as the winner of the APC presidential primary election with 10,999,162 votes across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, defeating his sole challenger, Stanley Osifo, who secured 16,504 votes nationwide. The results were drawn from direct primary elections conducted simultaneously across all 8,809 wards in the country on Saturday, May 23, 2026. According to state-by-state results, Tinubu’s strongest showing came from Lagos State, his political base, where he polled 814,988 votes — his highest single-state tally. Adamawa State delivered 644,149 votes, Kaduna State followed with 618,914 votes, Imo State gave him 582,960 votes, and Kano State, Nigeria’s most populous northern state, delivered 500,852 votes for the President. In Abia State, Tinubu secured 161,005 votes to defeat Osifo, who polled 1,007 votes — the highest secured by the challenger in any state. In Edo State, Osifo’s home state, the President polled 131,096 votes while the challenger managed just one vote. In Gombe State, Governor Inuwa Yahaya announced that out of 550,516 registered APC members, President Tinubu secured an overwhelming 450,516 votes, while Osifo recorded zero votes. In the Federal Capital Territory, Tinubu also secured substantial victories across all wards.

President Tinubu’s landslide victory in the APC presidential primary effectively clears the path for his re-election bid in the January 2027 general elections. With the ruling party presenting a united front behind the President, the opposition will now have to coalesce around a single candidate to mount a credible challenge. The President will now face off against candidates from opposition parties, including the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) , Labour Party , and other opposition platforms, in what is expected to be a fiercely contested election. President Tinubu is expected to kick off his re-election campaign in the coming weeks, focusing on his administration’s achievements in infrastructure development, security sector reforms, economic transformation, and social investment programmes. As the APC prepares for the 2027 general election, party leaders have emphasized the need for unity and continued engagement with voters to explain the benefits of the administration’s reform agenda. The President will now proceed as the APC’s flag bearer for the January 16, 2027, presidential election, seeking a second and final term in office.

 

2027: President Tinubu Accepts APC Presidential Ticket, Vows to Deepen Reforms