In the build-up to the 2027 general elections, the national leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Wednesday announced that the party’s Presidential ticket will still be open to all, despite endorsing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for a second term.

The development was announced by the party’s National Organising Secretary, Sulaiman Mohammad Argungu, who said the party’s leadership — including the National Working Committee, the Progressives Governors Forum, chaired by Governor Hope Uzodinma, and the National Assembly leadership under Senate President Godswill Akpabio had pledged support for Tinubu.

Citing what they described as his strong performance in office, Argungu emphasised that the APC would remain guided by democratic values and would not block any member interested in contesting the presidential primaries.

According to him, the party will guarantee a transparent process where Tinubu and any other aspirants can freely test their popularity.

He said, “We will definitely not close our doors (other Presidential aspirants). When the time comes, our timetable will be made known.

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“Anybody who wants to aspire for the presidency under the APC will not be denied the opportunity to purchase the expression of interest and nomination forms to exercise their franchise.

“We never said we had locked the door. We are only telling people that we appreciate what the President is doing for the people of the country and that he deserves a second term in office when we roundly endorsed him recently.”

The Sokoto-born politician was responding to a question on whether the APC might follow the path of the Peoples Democratic Party in 2014, when it printed only one nomination form and reserved it exclusively for then-President Goodluck Jonathan as the sole presidential aspirant.

Commenting on the party’s showing in the recent by-elections, the APC National Organising Secretary credited the win in 13 of the 16 contested seats to the grace of Almighty Allah as well as the commitment of the party’s leadership, members, and supporters nationwide.

“This is a remarkable achievement and a reaffirmation of the confidence Nigerians continue to repose in the APC.

“These victories are not just statistics; they are a reaffirmation of the trust Nigerians continue to place in the APC. They demonstrate the strength, resilience, and growing acceptance of our party nationwide.

“They reflect the belief of the Nigerian people in our capacity to deliver purposeful leadership and good governance.”