Allies say funds were crowd-sourced from over 1,000 contributors as forms are also secured for Hamzat, Adebule, and Faleke amid concerns over alleged gatekeeping in APC primaries.

By Ifeoma Onyekachi

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has taken a formal step toward seeking a second term in office, with loyalists purchasing the presidential nomination and expression of interest forms of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on his behalf in Abuja.

The forms, which cost a combined N100 million, were obtained by a delegation led by James Faleke, a member of the House of Representatives representing Ikeja Federal Constituency and a prominent figure in the Tinubu Support Group.

Faleke received the documents from the APC National Organising Secretary, Sulaiman Argungu, during a brief ceremony. He said the funds used to procure the forms were contributed by a broad base of supporters nationwide, dismissing claims that the process was bankrolled by a single individual or interest group.

“There is no one particular person that has done this. It is on behalf of all Nigerians,” Faleke told journalists, adding that more than 1,000 contributors pooled resources for the purchase, echoing a similar mobilisation effort ahead of the 2023 elections.

Expressing confidence in the president’s chances, he said Tinubu would not only contest but emerge victorious in the 2027 election.

Multiple forms secured for Lagos contenders

In addition to the presidential forms, Faleke also collected nomination forms for Lagos Deputy Governor, Obafemi Hamzat, who has emerged as the APC’s consensus governorship candidate for 2027.

He further confirmed securing forms for incumbent Lagos West Senator, Idiat Adebule, as well as for himself as he seeks re-election to the House of Representatives.

Faleke noted that the scale of participation made it impractical for all contributors to be physically present at the collection point, stating that only designated representatives were mandated to act on behalf of the larger group.

Controversy trails nomination process

The development comes amid growing allegations that the APC may be selectively issuing nomination forms, with claims that aspirants without the backing of their state governors are being sidelined.

While the party has yet to formally respond to the accusations, the controversy adds a layer of tension to what is expected to be a highly contested pre-election season.

Tinubu’s early move to secure the party’s ticket is likely to shape political alignments within the APC, as stakeholders begin to position themselves ahead of the 2027 general elections.