The All Progressives Congress (APC) has clarified that despite widespread endorsements of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for a second term, the party will not prevent other members from vying for the presidential ticket in the 2027 general elections.
The clarification was made on Wednesday in Abuja by the APC National Organising Secretary, Sulaiman Mohammad Argungu, during an interactive session with journalists at the party’s national secretariat.
Argungu revealed that the National Working Committee (NWC), the Progressives Governors Forum (PGF) led by Senator Hope Uzodinma, and the National Assembly (NASS) leadership under Senator Godswill Akpabio had all thrown their support behind Tinubu. However, he emphasized that such endorsements do not translate into an automatic ticket.
He stated, “We will definitely not close our doors (other Presidential aspirants). When the time comes, our timetable will be made known. Anybody who wants to aspire for the presidency under the APC will not be denied the opportunity to purchase the expression of interest and nomination forms to exercise their franchise.”
Argungu stressed that the endorsement was an appreciation of the president’s performance rather than an exclusion strategy. “We never said we had locked the door. We are only telling people that we appreciate what the President is doing for the people of the country and that he deserves a second term in office when we roundly endorsed him recently,” he explained.
He dismissed speculations that the APC might adopt the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) model of 2014, when then-President Goodluck Jonathan was presented as the sole candidate. According to him, the APC remains committed to democratic ideals and will provide a level playing field for all aspirants.
Reviewing the outcome of recent by-elections, Argungu celebrated the APC’s victories in 13 out of 16 contested seats. He attributed the achievement to divine providence and the collective effort of party stakeholders.
He remarked, “This is a remarkable achievement and a reaffirmation of the confidence Nigerians continue to repose in the APC. These victories are not just statistics; they demonstrate the strength, resilience, and growing acceptance of our party nationwide.”
okay.ng reports that the development highlights the APC’s balancing act between loyalty to the incumbent president and maintaining internal democracy ahead of the 2027 polls.
