From Khalid Idris Doya, Bauchi
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Saturday secured a victory in the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential primary election held in Bauchi State ahead of the 2027 general elections, polling 156,541 votes.
Announcing the result, the election Coordinator and Collation Officer for the APC Presidential Primary in Bauchi State, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, said President Tinubu and businessman Sterlyn Osifo contested for the party’s presidential ticket.
Prof. Pate explained that the direct primary election was conducted peacefully across the 20 local government areas in the state, involving party members from ward, local government, and state levels.
He stated that coalition officers from all the local governments submitted their results before the final coalition at the state level.
According to him, a total of 178,414 APC members were eligible to participate in the exercise, while the total votes cast stood at 159,191.
He said President Tinubu emerged winner with 156,541 votes, while Sterlyn Osifo polled 2,650 votes only.
Prof. Pate noted that the results would be forwarded to the national collation centre in Abuja for official submission and announcement.
The Coordinating Minister of Health and social welfare commended members of the electoral committee for their transparency, dedication, and commitment throughout the exercise. He also praised security agencies for maintaining peace and order during the primaries.
Speaking further with journalists, Prof. Pate described the presidential primary as peaceful, transparent, effective, and successful across all wards and local government areas in Bauchi State.
He expressed satisfaction with the orderly conduct of the election and the impressive turnout of APC members across the state, noting that the exercise demonstrated the strength, unity, and organization of the party at the grassroots level.
According to him, the outcome of the primary reflected the confidence and support President Tinubu continues to enjoy among APC members in Bauchi State.
Prof. Pate also highlighted the active participation of young people during the exercise, stating that thousands of youths turned out across various wards to take part in the democratic process.
He commended the Tinubu administration for creating employment opportunities for young Nigerians, saying that more than 3,000 youths in Bauchi State had secured jobs through federal government initiatives within the last three years.
The minister further praised the administration’s healthcare interventions, particularly the introduction of free emergency cesarean section services for women, describing the initiative as unprecedented.
He added that several infrastructural projects executed by the federal government under President Tinubu were visible across Bauchi State, stressing that residents could easily identify projects facilitated by the APC-led administration.
Prof. Pate said the spirit of unity displayed by aspirants and party members before, during, and after the primaries remained one of the greatest achievements of the exercise.
“Whether one won or lost, APC has emerged victorious because the party conducted a peaceful, transparent, and successful primary election that can serve as a model for other states across the country,” he said.
He appealed to aspirants who lost in the primaries to remain patient and support the party’s candidates in the interest of APC’s success in Bauchi State and across the country.
According to him, victory for the APC in future elections would bring significant progress and development to the state and Nigeria at large.
