President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will formally receive the All Progressives Congress (APC) Certificate of Return and the party’s presidential flag today, Sunday, May 24, 2026.
The presentation follows the APC’s nationwide collation of results from its presidential primary held on Saturday.
The ceremony will take place at the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre in Abuja.
APC governors, members of the National Executive Committee (NEC), the National Working Committee (NWC), federal lawmakers and other senior party stakeholders are expected to attend.
“The Presidential Primary Elections Committee will present the certificate and flag at the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre in Abuja after nationwide collation of the primary election results,” the party said in a statement released Saturday through Bayo Onanuga, the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy.
Tinubu dominated returns from state primaries already announced by party correspondents, with several large vote totals reported across regions. Reported state returns include Adamawa (644,149 votes), Imo (582,960) and Gombe (450,516). Other tallies posted include Delta (407,646), Akwa Ibom (389,197) and Benue (374,787).
“Reports from Borno State indicated that Tinubu got 100 per cent of the votes from APC members in the state,” party sources said as final results from Kaduna were still pending at filing time.
What The Presentation Means And Who Will Attend
The certificate and flag presentation formally concludes the APC’s primary process and signals the start of organised campaign preparations for 2027.
Party stalwarts attending will likely include APC state governors and national executives who oversee campaign strategy and mobilisation.
President Tinubu addressed journalists in Lagos after the primary, calling the process a demonstration of internal party democracy and praising the conduct of governors and electoral officials.
“This is a demonstration of internal democracy. It has been going on very well according to plan,” he said.
He added that the exercise reflected grassroots participation, from ward congresses to delegate accreditation, and welcomed the large show of support. “I am excited by the show of love by the large crowd. They challenge me more.”
Vote Totals, Opposition and Next Steps
The primary returns published so far show wide margins in favour of Tinubu across several states. Reporters compiled state‑by‑state figures including Rivers (280,082), Bayelsa (277,192), Yobe (253,804), Ebonyi (207,579) and Jigawa (206,520). Smaller totals included Osun (100,880) and Edo (131,096).
Tinubu’s only listed challenger in the exercise, Stanley Osifo, accepted the results publicly. “I love my party so much and nothing will make me do anything contrary to the interest of my party,” Osifo said, indicating no immediate legal challenge.
With the certificate and flag presentation, the APC is expected to formalise its national campaign team and calendar. Observers should watch for the party’s official campaign launch, candidate manifesto releases, and scheduling of rallies across geopolitical zones.
Under APC rules, the Presidential Primary Elections Committee collates returns and issues the Certificate of Return to the party’s nominee. The certificate is the party’s internal confirmation that a candidate won its nomination and can carry the party’s flag into the general election.
Although the Certificate of Return is an internal party document, it is a necessary step before formalities with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which handles candidate registration and ballot placement for the 2027 election.
Watch for the APC’s campaign timetable, appointments to the national campaign council, and reactions from opposition parties, particularly the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and other coalitions. Also expect updates from Kaduna and any final collation irregularities to be addressed by the party committee.
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