APC Clarifies: Tinubu Endorsed for Second Term, But Ticket Remains Open to Other Aspirants

The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has clarified that, despite the widespread endorsement of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for a second term in office, other party members interested in contesting for the presidency will still be free to vie for the ticket during the primaries.

APC’s National Organising Secretary, Sulaiman Mohammad Argungu, made this known on Wednesday during an interactive session with journalists at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja.

Argungu explained that the endorsement of President Tinubu by the National Working Committee (NWC), the Progressives Governors Forum led by Senator Hope Uzodinma, and the National Assembly leadership under Senator Godswill Akpabio was in recognition of his “outstanding performance so far in office.”

However, he stressed that the party would not shut the door against any other aspirants.

“We will definitely not close our doors to 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.

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,” Argungu said.

He made the clarification in response to questions on whether the APC would follow the example of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which in October 2014 printed just one nomination form exclusively for then-President Goodluck Jonathan to emerge as the sole presidential aspirant.

Speaking further, Argungu hailed the party’s performance in the recent by-elections, attributing its victory in 13 out of 16 contested seats to the grace of Almighty Allah, as well as the commitment of APC leaders, members, and supporters across the country.

“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.

They reflect the belief of the Nigerian people in our capacity to deliver purposeful leadership and good governance,” he stated.

The APC’s clarification comes amid growing conversations within political circles about the shape of the 2027 presidential contest and the party’s internal democratic processes.