President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Saturday recorded a landslide victory in the All Progressives Congress, APC, presidential primary election held at Ward L2 in Eti-Osa Local Government Area of Lagos State, polling 4,996 votes in a direct primary exercise organised by the ruling party.
The primary election took place at Ireti Nursery and Primary School on Mekwen Street, off Queens Drive, Ikoyi, where party members turned out in large numbers to participate in the voting process.
Tinubu, who is seeking the APC presidential ticket ahead of the 2027 general election, contested against businessman Sterlyn Osifo in the primary election conducted by the party.
At the end of the exercise, the ward returning officer, Martha Adikwu, announced that Tinubu secured 4,996 votes out of the 5,163 accredited voters in the ward, confirming a clear victory for the President.
The election was conducted under heavy security, with security personnel stationed around the polling venue to maintain law and order as party supporters and stakeholders gathered for the exercise.
Voting started early in the day after accreditation of party members and delegates.
President Tinubu arrived at the polling centre around 11:35 a.m., shortly after accreditation had been concluded.
His arrival attracted loud cheers from party supporters, many of whom waved party flags and chanted solidarity songs in support of the President.
Several top APC leaders were present to monitor the exercise, including Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, former Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy Wale Edun, APC Lagos State Chairman Pastor Cornelius Ojelabi and party chieftain Kola Peregrino.
Before voting commenced, Ojelabi praised party members for maintaining order and discipline throughout the exercise.
“The rewards of your loyalty to the party will yield proceeds in due course. Thank you for the wonderful support for our President and the APC,” he told party supporters.
“Today, we are here to re-elect the candidate of your choice. Let Nigerians know that APC is the best party in Nigeria,” he added.
The APC presidential primary is part of the party’s internal process aimed at selecting its flagbearer for the next presidential election.
The party adopted the direct primary system, which allows registered party members at the grassroots level to participate directly in the selection process.
Saturday’s exercise in Lagos was largely peaceful, with no major incident reported during the voting and counting process.
The turnout of party supporters at the polling centre reflected Tinubu’s strong influence within the APC, especially in Lagos, where he remains one of the most powerful political figures.
Tinubu, a former governor of Lagos State, is widely regarded as a key architect of the APC and has maintained significant political structures across the country over the years.
Since becoming President in May 2023, Tinubu has continued to push economic and political reforms under his administration.
However, his government has also faced criticism from opposition parties and many Nigerians over the rising cost of living, inflation, fuel price increases and economic hardship affecting citizens across the country.
Despite these concerns, supporters of the President insist that his reforms are necessary to stabilise the economy and reposition Nigeria for long-term growth.
The APC leadership has repeatedly stressed the importance of party unity and internal democracy ahead of the 2027 elections.
The ruling party has also continued consultations and mobilisation efforts across states as political activities gradually gather momentum nationwide.
In Nigeria, disagreements arising from party primaries have often led to court cases, protests and defections by aggrieved members.
The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, requires political parties to conduct primaries before presenting candidates for elective offices.
Since Nigeria returned to democratic rule in 1999, internal democracy within political parties has remained a major issue in the country’s political system.
Many parties have in the past been accused of imposing candidates or sidelining grassroots members during candidate selection processes.
For the APC, Saturday’s exercise in Lagos was seen as an opportunity to demonstrate unity and grassroots participation within the ruling party.
With Tinubu’s overwhelming victory in the ward primary, party supporters described the result as a strong show of confidence in the President’s leadership ahead of the next election cycle.
Political activities are expected to increase in the coming months as parties continue consultations and preparations ahead of the 2027 general elections.