President Bola Tinubu has officially set the tone for the 2027 general elections after his nomination and expression of interest forms for a second term were purchased at the APC national secretariat in Abuja.
The forms, which cost a combined N100 million, were paid for by a coalition of loyalists and support groups drawn from across the country, in a show of backing for the president’s re-election bid.
Representing the president at the event, Hon. James Faleke, who is a key figure in the Tinubu Support Group and represents Ikeja Federal Constituency in Lagos, collected the forms from the APC National Organising Secretary, Sulaiman Argungu.
In the same exercise, Faleke also picked up nomination forms for other aspirants within Lagos APC, including Deputy Governor Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, who has been endorsed as the party’s consensus governorship candidate for Lagos in 2027, Senator Idiat Adebule, and himself for a return to the House of Representatives.
Speaking to journalists after the process, Faleke dismissed claims that the presidential form was sponsored by a single individual, insisting it was a collective effort.
“There is no one particular person behind this. It is a collective effort of Nigerians. Over a thousand contributors came together to make this possible. Not everyone can be here physically, so representatives are sent,” he said.
He expressed confidence in Tinubu’s chances at the polls, adding: “By the grace of God, he will contest and he will win.”
On Hamzat’s governorship form, Faleke described the move as part of ongoing party alignment in Lagos politics.
“I am also privileged, alongside Honourable Ajala, to pick the forms for the incoming governor of Lagos, Dr. Kadiri Obafemi Hamzat,” he said.
Faleke also noted that he was still awaiting the receipt for Senator Idiat Adebule’s nomination form, adding that the process reflected coordinated support within the party structure.
Meanwhile, he stressed that the large number of contributors made it impossible for everyone to be present at the secretariat.
“Those of us who contributed are more than 1,000. We cannot all come here. Only representatives were sent, and I happen to be one of them,” he said.
Party denies selective sale of forms
Amid growing political speculation, the APC leadership dismissed allegations that nomination forms were being restricted to selected aspirants.
The party’s Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Duro Meseko, said the process remained open to all eligible members.
“All nomination forms are open to all aspirants under the APC. No one is being denied access,” he said.
Other aspirants emerge
At the same venue, Senator Shehu Buba of Bauchi South also purchased a governorship nomination form, officially declaring his interest in the 2027 Bauchi governorship race.
Buba said he was confident of unseating the incumbent administration, while calling on party members to engage actively in the electoral process.
In Kogi State, Governor Ahmed Ododo also convened a stakeholders’ meeting to discuss possible consensus arrangements ahead of the elections. However, the meeting reportedly ended without a final agreement, as differing interests among aspirants persisted.
As political activities gather momentum across the country, the APC appears to be balancing between consensus arrangements in some states and open competition in others ahead of 2027.
