Former presidential aspirant, Stanley Osifo, has announced his intention to contest the 2027 presidential ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC), positioning himself as a potential challenger to President Bola Tinubu despite growing endorsements in favour of the incumbent.
Osifo made this known on Monday during a press conference in Abuja, where he confirmed plans to purchase the party’s ₦100 million nomination and expression of interest forms ahead of the primaries.
His declaration comes at a time when support within the ruling party appears to be consolidating around Tinubu, with all 22 APC governors backing the president as the party’s sole candidate for the 2027 election, a move that has gained traction since May 2025.
Responding to claims about possible backing from Tinubu, Osifo dismissed the speculation.
He said, “It is not strange to hear people say Tinubu is the one sponsoring me. Even when I wanted to run against Buhari in 2019, I was told the current president was bankrolling me.
“I can categorically tell you as I stand before you today that I have never benefited one Kobo from him. Thank God Asiwaju is still alive till today. If anybody has proof, let them show the world. So, I am not worried about such an insinuation.
“I am declaring interest and running for this ticket because of the strong conviction that I have. I have not been found wanting in any area or sanctioned for doing anything related to anti-party activities.”
Osifo also emphasised that endorsements by party stakeholders do not override constitutional provisions governing candidate selection, maintaining that he remains undeterred by the mounting support for Tinubu within party ranks.
Speaking on how he plans to navigate the political influence of party leaders, he stated that he would not be discouraged.
“I am not against the governors or party leaders endorsing anybody. I am not out to fight anybody but we all have a constitutional right to pursue our ambitions.
“Again, there is no part of our party constitution that says that if anyone is endorsed, he automatically becomes the candidate of the party. There is no such law, even in the Nigerian constitution that highlights endorsement as a pathway to becoming a candidate.
“The party constitution clearly states that an aspirant can come out and run. INEC law also mandates an aspirant to vie for the ticket of any political office he qualifies for,” he stressed.
The APC has scheduled its presidential primaries for May 15 to 16, with nomination forms priced at ₦100 million, ₦30 million for expression of interest and ₦70 million for nomination.
Osifo’s entry into the race introduces the possibility of a contest within the ruling party, even as supporters of Tinubu continue to push for a consensus candidacy ahead of the primaries.
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