Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State has officially declared President Bola Tinubu as the winner of the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential primary election conducted in the state. The announcement was made in a trending video, where the governor revealed that President Tinubu secured a total of 321,579 votes, while his main challenger, Stanley Osifo, managed only 42 votes.
APC Primary Election Process
The APC had earlier appointed state governors as returning officers for the primary elections in their respective states. Former Senate President Pius Anyim was named chairman of the electoral committee overseeing the exercise. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) monitored the process, which is part of the party's preparations for the 2027 general elections.
Reactions to the Announcement
The declaration by Governor Lawal has sparked diverse reactions from Nigerians. Some citizens expressed concerns about the transparency of the process and the figures announced, while others commended the outcome.
Hon Nuhu Sada cautioned the ruling party, stating, "Political victories announced today should not make leaders forget the hardship, insecurity, and frustration many citizens still face. Elections may be won within party structures, but the people will have the final say."
Another commenter, Borngreat, expressed skepticism about the vote tally: "The rate of numbers that they are announcing for Tinubu for the primary elections is a clear sign that they will announce half a million or a million for him in APC states. This is a sign that rigging will happen in 2027. Who is Stanley Osifo? We all know it is Tinubu's ticket; they are just wasting their time and the time of their gullible supporters."
Shamsuddeen praised the result: "It's another done deal at Zamfara with the motivation of Zamfara Gov Lawal. The total number of votes announced in Zamfara is truly amazing. President Tinubu GCFR all the way."
Emmanuel Oyedeji questioned the identity of those who voted for Osifo: "Who are the people who voted for Osifo? The numbers look like a randomly generated figure given to make it look like he scored zero votes."
Context of the 2027 Elections
President Bola Tinubu is seeking re-election in the upcoming general election. He is likely to face his major contenders from the 2023 presidential race: Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who has since defected to the African Democratic Congress (ADC), and Peter Obi of the Labour Party, now with the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC).
