The Presidency has explained why the All Progressives Congress (APC) adopted President Bola Tinubu as its sole candidate for the 2027 presidential election, citing a comprehensive midterm assessment of his performance.
According to Daniel Bwala, Special Adviser to the President on Policy Communication, the APC leadership conducted an evaluation of Tinubu's administration and unanimously agreed that he deserved another term based on his achievements since taking office.
"What happened is a beauty to behold, it's tapestry of organization and it goes to show that APC as a progressive party is living up to its creed," Bwala stated during an appearance on Channels Television's Politics Today on Thursday night.
The endorsement was formalized on Thursday when the APC National Assembly Caucus and the party's governors' forum publicly backed Tinubu for a second term. During the APC National Summit in Abuja, Senate President Godswill Akpabio announced that the party had adopted Tinubu as its sole presidential candidate.
Bwala emphasized that the endorsement followed an internal review process that began before the summit. "Before now, people were asked to review our promises and manifestos to the Nigerian people vis-a-vis our performance so far to see if the president has gotten to the point where he would deserve a second term," he explained.
The presidential aide clarified that the event was primarily a party affair and represented an expression of organization within the APC. He stressed that it was "perfectly normal" for the party to decide on its direction internally before making public announcements.
When asked about the president's performance, Bwala responded affirmatively: "If you ask the question has the president performed? My answer will be a very big capital yes." He pointed to economic improvements under Tinubu's leadership, noting that states previously unable to pay salaries are now meeting minimum wage requirements, executing projects, and paying debts due to increased revenue.
Bwala also addressed potential misconceptions about the endorsement, stating: "There is a misconception by anybody who wants to see what transpired as an engagement with Nigerians, it was a party affair." He emphasized that the internal assessment does not suggest the party has accomplished everything but rather represents an "internal examination before we bring our own external examiners who are the Nigerians."
The APC's decision comes as Nigeria approaches the midpoint of Tinubu's first term, with the party expressing confidence in his leadership and policies implemented thus far. According to Bwala, the administration's performance across various sectors, including infrastructure, security, and economic initiatives like NELFUND, justified the endorsement for a second term.
