President Bola Tinubu has warned members of the All Progressives Congress against infighting and the old habit of treating politics as a do-or-die battle as the party begins nationwide primaries ahead of the 2027 general elections.
In a statement he personally signed, Tinubu told aspirants, party leaders and delegates to keep the process peaceful and to uphold internal democracy, fairness and sportsmanship. The primaries begin with House of Representatives contests and will run through to the presidential primary on May 25, 2026.
“We should not play the politics of old; the do-or-die politics that we have put behind us. Politics should never be a zero-sum game,” he said, framing the exercises as a test of whether the ruling party can manage competition without tearing itself apart. He added that when consensus fails, contestants should enter the primaries “as brothers and sisters” and keep the peace “in the overall interest of the party and our country.”
That warning carries weight because the APC primaries are nationwide and are seen as crucial to the party’s unity and future. Tinubu said leaders at different levels had already begun talks to produce consensus candidates under the Electoral Act and the party’s constitution, describing the option as one that could reduce “rancour and bad blood” among members.
He also pressed governors and other party leaders to be fair and give every aspirant a level playing field. “To the party leadership, our governors, and other leaders, I urge you to be fair and just. You must rise above sentiment to offer all aspirants a level playing field,” he said.
There is also a clear tension in the message: Tinubu is asking for calm and consensus while acknowledging that every contest produces winners and losers. He said winners should not gloat and losers should accept the outcome in good faith, a reminder that the primaries will only help the party if their aftermath is managed as carefully as the vote itself.
He also singled out women and youths, calling their inclusion “dear to my heart” and urging voters and leaders to give them special consideration in the contest. For APC members, the next test is not just who secures the tickets, but whether the party can finish the primaries without deepening the divisions Tinubu has told them to leave behind.
