THE All Progressives Congress (APC) has clarified that its 2027 presidential ticket remains open to all interested aspirants despite the widespread endorsement of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for a second term in office.
News Point Nigeria reports that the clarification was made by the party’s National Organising Secretary, Sulaiman Argungu, during an interactive session with journalists at the APC National Secretariat in Abuja on Wednesday.
According to Argungu, while the APC’s leadership, including the National Working Committee (NWC), the Progressives Governors Forum (PGF) led by Imo State Governor Hope Uzodinma, and the National Assembly leadership under Senate President Godswill Akpabio, have all endorsed Tinubu’s re-election bid, the party remains committed to democratic inclusivity.
Responding to questions on whether the APC would restrict the contest to President Tinubu—similar to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2014, which reserved its sole presidential ticket for then-President Goodluck Jonathan, Argungu said the APC would not deny any qualified member the right to contest.
“We will definitely not close our doors to other presidential aspirants,” he stated.
“When the time comes, our timetable will be made known. Anybody who wants to aspire for the presidency under 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, which was why we roundly endorsed him recently.”
Argungu also used the opportunity to reflect on the APC’s performance in recent by-elections across the country, where the ruling party secured 13 out of 16 contested seats.
He attributed the party’s success to a combination of divine favour and the dedication of party structures at all levels.
“This is a remarkable achievement and a reaffirmation of the confidence Nigerians continue to repose in the APC,” Argungu said.
“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.”
While Tinubu has received overwhelming support from party structures for a second term, largely credited to what the APC describes as his “outstanding performance”, the assurance of an open field means that other prominent members with presidential ambitions could still emerge to challenge him at the primaries.
This stance, observers argue, may help the ruling party project unity and inclusiveness while avoiding accusations of stifling internal democracy.