President Bola Ahmed Tinubu yesterday accepted the nomination of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as its standard bearer for the January 16, 2027 presidential election.

He won the primary with 10,999,162 votes in a direct primary election described as the first of its kind in the country’s political history.

Party members voted across all 8,809 wards on Saturday.

The process was concluded yesterday at the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre in Abuja before the National Collation Chairman, former Senate President Anyim Pius Anyim.

Collation officers from the 36 states announced the results.

Governors served in this capacity.

But in the five states not controlled by the APC, appointed collation officers made the presentations.

These are: Minister of Marine and Blue Economy Gboyega Oyetola, who presented the outcome of the election in Osun State; Senator Teslim Folarin, who stood in for Oyo State; Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Benjamin Kalu, who presented the Abia State results; Senator Uche Ekwunife, who announced the outcome in Anambra State; and Minister of Health Prof. Ali Pate, who gave an account of the election proceedings in Bauchi State.

Governor Siminalayi Fubara, who dramatically pulled out of the governorship primary, served as the presidential primary collation officer and presented the results from Rivers State.

After the presentations, Anyim summed up the results as follows: the party’s total membership nationwide stands at 12,643,316, out of which 11,069,756 were accredited, while 11,015,665 voted.

He put Tinubu’s total votes at 10,999,162 and those of his opponent, Stanley Osifo, at 16,504.

The announcement attracted cheers from the hall packed with party leaders, including the President, his wife, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima, leaders of the National Assembly, party leaders and other dignitaries.

Shettima flew into Abuja for the ceremony from Benin Republic, where he had earlier in the day represented Tinubu at the inauguration of the new Benin President.

One leader who stood out in the crowd was Kano State-born Alhaji Tanko Yakasai, the 101-year-old former political adviser to Second Republic President Alhaji Shehu Shagari.

The President specifically acknowledged his presence and thanked him for his service to the nation.

Despite his age, Yakasai stood up briskly when the President mentioned his name in appreciation of the respect shown to him.

Osifo, who arrived at the venue midway through the result declaration, received an ovation from the crowd for his courage in contesting against the President.

It did not matter that he scored zero votes in 21 states.

He scored only one vote in his home state, Edo.

The President nevertheless acknowledged Osifo for his effort.

For his victory in the primary, the President was presented with a Certificate of Return and the APC flag, which he displayed animatedly.

The items were handed to him by National Chairman Nentawe Yilwatda, supported by members of the National Working Committee (NWC).

During the occasion, videos of some of President Tinubu’s key achievements in infrastructure were shown to those in attendance and viewers watching the event live on television.

The documentary on the Sokoto-Badagry Super Highway was of particular interest because it traced the project back to 1980, when Second Republic President Shagari performed the groundbreaking ceremony.

Since then, no other president has returned to the project despite its huge economic and commercial benefits to both the North and the South.