Tinubu participates in APC presidential primary, says party remains rooted in grassroots politics

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Saturday participated in the presidential direct primary of the ruling All Progressives Congress at his polling unit in Ikoyi, Lagos, declaring that the party remains “focused, organised and deeply grounded across Nigeria.”

The president voted alongside the First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, during the exercise held at his ward in Lagos State.

In a statement shared on his official Facebook page after the exercise, Mr Tinubu described democracy as a process sustained by active participation, strong institutions and grassroots political engagement rather than “noise” or “speculation.”

“Democracy is not sustained by noise, speculation, or borrowed platforms. It is sustained by citizens who show up, party members who believe, institutions that endure, the grassroots, and a political family rooted in the people,” the president stated.

He also used the occasion to reaffirm the APC’s organisational strength ahead of future political contests, insisting that the party remained united around governance and national development.“The APC remains focused, organised and deeply grounded across Nigeria. Others may gather around grievance. We gather around structure, service, and the work of nation-building,” he added.

Mr Tinubu further pledged that his administration and the ruling party would continue to pursue the “Renewed Hope” agenda introduced at the beginning of his presidency in May 2023.“Together, we will continue to renew hope, strengthen our democracy, and build a stronger Nigeria for all,” he wrote.

The APC has remained Nigeria’s ruling political party since 2015 when former President Muhammadu Buhari defeated incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan in a historic election that marked the first democratic transfer of power from a ruling party to an opposition party in Nigeria.

Mr Tinubu, a former governor of Lagos State and one of the founding leaders of the APC, emerged as president after winning the 2023 presidential election.

Since assuming office, his administration has introduced a series of major economic reforms, including the removal of fuel subsidy and the unification of the foreign exchange market.

While the reforms have been praised by international financial institutions for addressing structural economic challenges, they have also triggered rising inflation and increased cost-of-living pressures across the country, generating criticism from opposition parties and labour groups.

Political observers say Mr Tinubu’s latest remarks reflect the APC’s determination to project internal unity and grassroots strength amid growing political realignments ahead of future electoral contests.

The president’s participation in the direct primary process also underscores the APC’s continued emphasis on internal party democracy and mobilisation at the ward level, a strategy party leaders have frequently described as central to maintaining its national political dominance.