Tinubu Extends Hand of Friendship to Critics, Seeks Cooperation in Nation’s Interest 

*Receives certificate of return after 10.9m votes win at primaries, lists feats in four years

*Yilwatda: turnout at presidential primary mirrors 2027 elections

*Mbah: overwhelming referendum on president’s stewardship 

* Sanwo-Olu congratulates president

Deji Elumoye, Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja, Segun Awofadeji in Bauchi and Gombe, Laleye Dipo in Minna and Ahmad Sorondinki in Kano

President Bola Tinubu, yesterday, extended a hand of fellowship to his critics after winning the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential ticket ahead of the 2027 general election.

Tinubu, who reportedly polled a massive 10.9 million votes to emerge winner at the APC presidential primary election, said cooperation with all and sundry, especially his opponents, was necessary in the interest of national unity and progress.  

He vowed to eliminate the threats to national security, saying his administration will not relent until peace and stability are fully restored across Nigeria.

Delivering his acceptance speech in Abuja after receiving his Certificate of Return as APC presidential candidate, Tinubu acknowledged the security challenges facing the country and promised that he would take seriously the responsibility to safeguard the life and property of every Nigerian.

The president stated, “To those who may disagree with us politically, we extend a hand of partnership in nation-building. To those who differ with our philosophy, we offer dialogue and engagement, confident that the sincerity of our purpose and the results of our work will speak for themselves.

“Democracy is sustained not by uniformity but by diversity, by a shared belief in the nation and the blending of ideas.

“Let us come together as Nigerians, from north to south, east to west, to consolidate our gains, tackle our challenges, and seize the promise of a greater tomorrow. The task ahead requires patriotism and collective effort.”

Tinubu said disagreement with the opposition was a feature of democracy rather than a threat.

He said, “You may be angry with our party; we don’t have to agree. Democracy is sustained not by uniformity but by diversity, by a shared belief in the nation, and the blending of ideas.

“To those who despise our philosophy, we offer dialogue and engagement, not anger, confident that the sincerity of our purpose and the results of our work will speak for themselves.”

The president stated, “Our government has intensified efforts to strengthen our security architecture, support our brave armed forces and the police, and forge stronger partnerships with local communities.

“We have invested in intelligence, surveillance, and modern equipment, and we are addressing the root causes of insecurity. We also expect the National Assembly to amend the Constitution to allow the creation of state police as a matter of national emergency.

“We will not rest until we restore peace and stability to every corner of our country. Our resolve is unwavering, and our goal is clear: a Nigeria where every citizen can live, work, and aspire without fear.”

Addressing APC stakeholders and leaders, including governors, National Assembly members, and National Working Committee (NWC) members, led by National Chairman of APC, Professor Netawe Yilwatda, Tinubu listed some of the achievements of his administration across all sectors of the economy since he assumed office on May 29, 2023.

He acknowledged the support and sacrifices of Nigerians across all walks of life, who continued to believe in the difficult but necessary path of reform his government had chosen in trying to rebuild the country.

Tinubu stated, “Since that night in June 2022, a lot has changed. The political landscape has evolved. Electoral reforms have strengthened the credibility of our democratic process.

“Voting patterns and expectations are shifting. Our economy has undergone significant structural reform, supported by new tax laws and fiscal policies that have boosted revenue collection for the federation.

“We promised to remove the financial barriers to higher education for our youth. Today, we have established the Nigerian Education Loan Fund, with over N282 billion disbursed and more than 1.5 million beneficiaries.

“We promised an improved power supply and an end to estimated billing. In the past three years, we have closed the metering gap by supplying 2.5 million meters via the Presidential Metering Initiative.”

He explained, “We have established a N4 trillion bond programme to settle verified legacy debts owed to GENCOs and GASCOs. Under our administration, power generation sometimes peaked at 6,000MW, 50 per cent higher than what we inherited. 

“Our strategy is focused on redesigning the power sector into a bankable, investable, and capable sector that delivers power to homes and industries.  We moved away from wasteful fuel subsidies, unstable exchange rates, and weak infrastructure.” 

He added, “Today, we are witnessing a turnaround: the naira is strengthening, foreign reserves are rising, and our economic outlook is positive despite the inflationary disruption caused by the war in Iran and the geopolitical crisis in the Middle East.

“We have strengthened macroeconomic stability through improved revenue performance, financial management, and better fiscal coordination.

“We have prioritised infrastructure across transportation, power, digital connectivity, housing, and irrigation as engines for inclusive growth. We are building concrete, durable roads and superhighways along the coast and on the Sokoto–Badagry route that will last for over 100 years.”

Tinubu highlighted his government’s port infrastructure enhancement policy, saying, “We are improving our airports and seaports after decades of neglect. We have reformed the oil and gas sector and are attracting billions of dollars in fresh investment in a sector that was almost comatose.”

He spoke on poverty reduction and national orientation, stressing, “Our social investment and human capital programmes target vulnerable households, youth, women, and small businesses. In addition, we are reclaiming our national values and ethos anchored on unity and the unbroken bond of togetherness.

“While our founding and now revived national anthem recognises our diversity, it reminds us of the work we need to do to forge a stronger and more perfect union. 

“Though tribe and tongue may differ, in brotherhood we stand. As Nigerians, we must continue to stand together for our country against all forces that seek to divide us.”

The president congratulated his opponent for the APC presidential ticket, Stanley Osifo, on being a good sportsman and accepting the outcome of the party primaries, saying he bears no grudge against him.

“I owe you no grudge, including Osifo, who spent his money,” the president said.

Osifo, a businessman from Edo State, who paid N100 million for the APC presidential nomination form and refused to step down after a planned consensus arrangement for the primary collapsed polled 16,503 votes nationwide.

Advising Nigerians not to gamble with the forthcoming election, Tinubu said, “This next election must not merely be a contest of parties or ideas, but a reaffirmation of Nigeria’s democratic maturity. 

“As a government, we have taken giant steps forward. Let’s not give in to complacency by allowing politicians with no clear alternative vision to take our country backward.

“With faith in God, confidence in our people, and hope in our future, I accept this nomination with a renewed resolve to serve our people. I thank all our party members for bestowing on me the honour of being our torchbearer and candidate in the January 2027 election.

“Together, and with the help of God Almighty, we shall build a more secure, united, and prosperous Nigeria for generations to come. I pledge to build an even more inclusive government, one that listens, learns, and leads with the best interests of all Nigerians at heart.”

Yilwatda described the turnout at the congresses held on Saturday to nominate the 2027 presidential candidate of the party as a mock demonstration of what the general election would look like. 

He stressed that APC was becoming the rallying point for all political parties, saying everybody wants to be in APC. 

He said, “The competition to be in the APC is quite high, and we see thousands of people buying our forms. It shows how our party is accepted by Nigerians and by the people. 

“If you see the mass turnout yesterday in all the congresses held to nominate the president, the numbers were in their thousands, and this is just a mock demonstration of what the general election will look like. 

“It shows clearly that no other party would win the election because the numbers turning out are in the thousands. Believe me, no political party can showcase one-tenth of what we presented in their own congresses. It shows that we are on the path, and the winning path.”

On the rancour witnessed during the House of Representatives, Senate, and governorship primaries, the chairman said the party would activate its internal mechanisms for conflict resolution.

He stated, “Of course, you should know that when it comes to power, it is a game of power, and everybody wants to be the one elected. Everyone wants to find reasons why he should be elected. But we, as a party, have internal mechanisms for conflict resolution. 

“We have the presidential conflict resolution team and the party reconciliation team. So we activate them to go down to the state level and the national level to ensure quicker reconciliation, a fast healing process, and they will merge it with campaigns to ensure that we win the 2027 election.” 

Baring his mind on the issue of aggrieved aspirants, who alleged unfair treatment during the primaries, Yilwatda stated that such political contests were naturally followed by complaints. 

According to him, “There is no situation where, for example, in a state, we are looking for one candidate and we have 16 people vying for that position of governorship. Sixteen out of 16, and you need to pick only one. 

“All of them are eminently qualified—former senators, former DAs, PhD holders, medical doctors, bankers, oil magnates. Everybody is qualified, and everyone has spread and capacity. 

“So among them, we must pick one of the very best, and for sure people will have one or two complaints. But that is usual in our politics. There is no way you can have a political contest anywhere in the world of this nature and nobody complains. 

“In fact, if you see any political party where nobody complains about congresses or internal elections, that party is actually weak. Strong parties have strong opposition from within, all vying for positions.

“It is just like a football league—imagine a league where nobody is complaining; it means the league is not competitive. The competition here is quite high, and every Nigerian looks up to the APC as a vehicle that will bring them to power in 2027.”

On certain circulating videos featuring fraudulent counting manipulations by alleged APC officials, like “1, 2, 3, 7,000”, and so on, Yilwatda stated, “Sometimes you see videos online. I even received a video that was sent to me, which I later found out was from an event that happened three or four years ago.”

He added, “These are unverified videos and were not even meant for our party activities. They were from activities somewhere else, even union or leadership elections in different settings, but are being circulated as if they are APC activities.

“If you check all our activities, we have our flags, our banners, and people raising their membership cards. In those videos, you cannot see any APC banner anywhere. So it shows clearly that those were not APC activities.”

Chairman of APC Presidential Primary Election Committee, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, said the primary elections were conducted in 8,809 wards across the federation and were subsequently collated at the local government and state levels. 

Anyim stated that the direct primary model adopted by APC was not only an effort to select candidates for the 2027 elections, but more importantly an attempt to give effect to the long-standing call for electoral reforms, which culminated in fundamental amendments to the Electoral Act.

The former senate president stated, “By this ground-breaking model, the APC has become the first political party to adopt the direct primary election model for its presidential primary election.

“I am minded to say, therefore, that the central intent of the APC in adopting the direct primary model includes: one, to deepen democratic participation; two, to ensure inclusivity; and three, to expand the political space.

“I wish to briefly state that the essentials of the direct primary model include: it provides opportunity for all members of the party to participate in the process; it forecloses the vote associated with delegate elections.

“It offers transparency, as against secret ballot; and it enhances the confidence of each voter that his or her vote counts. These are the core values the APC not only seeks to promote but also to inculcate in our electoral system.”

Niger State Governor Umar Bago said the Electoral Act had provided for either direct primaries or consensus, and where they were unable to build consensus, they had to do direct primaries.

Bago said, “For the president, the Electoral Act has proven itself, that no matter your status, you would have to be in compliance with the Electoral Act. 

“There were direct primaries across my state and across the country to select our party flag bearer, which is our president. And that happened smoothly, rancour-free, and we are excited.

“That’s why everybody is here, from different states of this country, to submit results that were collated across all our electoral wards across Nigeria.”

Statistics made available by APC showed that Tinubu won the party’s presidential primary with a total of 10.9 million votes to beat his lone challenger, Osifo, who got 16, 504 votes.

According to the party, a total of 12,643,316 members were registered; 11,069, 756 were accredited; while the total votes cast was 11,015,665.

Surprisingly, there were no void votes.

Official results declared by the party indicated that Tinubu polled 227, 192 votes in Bayelsa, as against Osifo’s five votes; in Osun the president scored Tinubu 100,888 votes, while Osifo recorded no vote.

The story was the same in Oyo, where Tinubu polled 142,754 votes as against Osifo’s 929 votes; while in Anambra, Tinubu polled 43, 034 votes, whereas Osifo scored 384 votes. The president scored 36,103 votes in FCT and Osifo recorded zero vote.

In Kano, Tinubu scored 500,852, votes against Osfio’s 2,675 votes; while in Katsina, Tinubu polled 467, 003 votes, whereas Osifo scored 229 votes.

The president scored 161, 005 votes in Abia, while Osifo scored 1,007 votes. In Kogi, Tinubu polled 197, 370 votes and Osifo scored zero.

Similarly, in Delta, Tinubu polled 407,646 votes, while Osifo scored zero. The president also defeated Osifo in Ebonyi with 207, 579 votes; and in Jigawa, Tinubu scored 206, 520 and Osifo scored zero.

Other results were, Plateau: Tinubu 241, 720, Osifo 303; Kwara: Tinubu 310, 990, Osifo zero; Edo: Tinubu 121, 098, Osifo one; Nasarawa: Tinubu 285,436, Osifo 768; Niger: Tinubu 175,487, Osifo 5,248; Borno: Tinubu 414,988, Osifo zero; Enugu: Tinubu 383, 382, Osifo zero; and Kebbi: Tinubu 292,972, Osifo zero.

Tinubu won Kaduna with 618,914 votes, while Osifo scored zero; and in Bauchi Tinubu polled 156,541 votes, while Osifo scored 2,650 votes.

The president maintained his winning streak in Ondo with 181,996 votes, while Osifo got zero; and in Yobe, Tinubu polled 253, 804 and Osifo got zero.

In Rivers, it was Tinubu 280 082 votes, Osifo zero; Akwa Ibom: Tinubu 389, 197, Osifo zero; Benue: Tinubu 374, 787, Osifo 779; Imo: Tinubu 582, 960, Osifo 103; Ekiti: Tinubu 85,340, Osifo zero; Lagos: Tinubu 814, 988, Osifo 1,186; Zamfara: Tinubu 321,579, Osifo 42; Ogun: Tinubu 322, 485, Osifo zero; and Sokoto: Tinubu 301,000, Osifo zero.

Others were Cross River: Tinubu 113,911, Osifo zero; Taraba: Tinubu 183,698, Osifo zero; Gombe: Tinubu 450,517, Osifo zero; Adamawa: Tinubu 644, 149, Osifo 195.

Overwhelming Referendum on President’s Stewardship, Says Mbah

Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah  congratulated Tinubu on his victory in the APC presidential primary election, describing it as an overwhelming endorsement of the president’s bold policies and leadership in the last three years.

Mbah, who was Collation Officer for Enugu State, commended Tinubu and the Yilwatda-led national executive of the party for providing the needed conducive environment and leadership that ensured a peaceful, free, fair, and credible party primary election.

Mbah also commended party stakeholders and members, in general, for their peaceful conduct throughout the exercise.

He stated, “It was rancour-free and transparent. Party faithful exercised their democratic rights of their own free will. It shows that internal democracy is flourishing in our party. We will now go into the 2027 elections united and more formidable.”

Sanwo-Olu Congratulates Tinubu

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, also celebrated Tinubu’s primary election victory, calling it a reflection of the confidence the party faithful reposed in his leadership.

Sanwo-Olu explained, in a statement on Sunday by his Special Adviser, Media and Publicity, Gboyega Akosile, “This victory reflects the confidence and trust that party members across the country continue to place in his leadership and his commitment to building a better Nigeria.

“The adoption of direct primaries also demonstrates our party’s commitment to strengthening internal democracy by giving members a stronger voice in the selection process.”

Sanwo-Olu lauded Tinubu’s economic programmes, saying, “Over the last few years, President Tinubu has taken important decisions aimed at stabilising the economy and laying the foundation for long-term growth. At critical moments, leadership requires courage and the willingness to take decisions that will move the country forward.

“I am confident that Nigerians will continue to support a vision built on courage and sustainable progress. The journey continues, and together, we will keep working towards a nation that gives every citizen a fair opportunity to succeed, he said.”