President Bola Tinubu has formally set the stage for his 2027 re-election bid after obtaining the presidential nomination and expression of interest forms of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abuja.
The forms, which cost a combined N100 million, were purchased on his behalf by loyalists and support groups from across the country. The process was carried out by James Faleke who represents Ikeja Federal Constituency and is a prominent member of the Tinubu Support Group.
Faleke received the forms from the APC National Organising Secretary, Suleiman Argungu, during a ceremony in Abuja.
Speaking after the exercise, Faleke dismissed suggestions that a single individual financed the purchase, explaining that the funds were contributed by over 1,000 supporters, mainly from Lagos and beyond. He described the effort as a collective show of support for the president.
“There is no one particular person that has done this. It is on behalf of all Nigerians,” he said, expressing confidence that Tinubu would win re-election.
Other Aspirants Join the Race
In addition to Tinubu’s forms, Faleke also collected nomination forms for other APC aspirants, including:
- Obafemi Hamzat, positioned as the party’s consensus governorship candidate in Lagos for 2027
- Idiat Adebule, seeking another term representing Lagos West
- Faleke himself, as he aims to return to the House of Representatives
Faleke noted that the large number of contributors made it impractical for all to be physically present, hence the use of representatives.
APC Denies Restricting Form Sales
The development comes amid allegations that the APC was selectively issuing nomination forms only to aspirants endorsed by state governors. However, the party’s Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Duro Meseko, rejected the claims, insisting that forms are available to all eligible party members.
Bauchi and Kogi Political Moves
Elsewhere, Shehu Buba, representing Bauchi South, confirmed he had purchased a governorship nomination form to contest the 2027 election in Bauchi State, expressing optimism about unseating the current Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) administration.
In Kogi State, Governor Ahmed Ododo convened a stakeholders’ meeting aimed at reaching consensus on candidates ahead of the elections. However, discussions reportedly ended without a clear resolution, highlighting ongoing internal negotiations within the party.
Political Momentum Builds Toward 2027
Tinubu’s early move to secure the APC ticket signals the beginning of intense political activity ahead of the 2027 general elections. With multiple aspirants already declaring interest across states, party alignments, consensus-building efforts, and internal negotiations are expected to shape the coming political landscape.
