ABUJA—President Bola Tinubu has formally kicked off his 2027 re-election bid with the purchase of the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential nomination and expression of interest forms in Abuja.
The forms, which cost a combined N100 million, were paid for on his behalf by loyalists and support groups drawn from across the country.
The president was represented at the exercise by James Faleke, a member of the House of Representatives representing Ikeja Federal Constituency of Lagos State and a prominent figure in the Tinubu Support Group.
The APC National Organising Secretary, Sulaiman Argungu, presented the forms to Faleke during the event.
Faleke also collected nomination forms for other aspirants, including Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, who is the party’s consensus governorship candidate for 2027 in the state; Senator Idiat Adebule of Lagos West; and himself, as he seeks re-election to the House of Representatives.
Speaking with journalists, Faleke dismissed claims that a single individual funded the president’s forms, stating that the money was contributed by over a thousand supporters from Lagos and other parts of the country.
“There is no one particular person that has done this. It is on behalf of all Nigerians. Just as we did before the 2023 election, I was also privileged to buy the form with some leaders. Here again, I am privileged to buy the form on behalf of all Nigerians, for our president,” he said.
He expressed confidence in Tinubu’s chances in the 2027 election, adding, “By the grace of God, he will contest and he will win the election.”
On the governorship form collected for Hamzat, Faleke said he was honoured to support what he described as the emergence of the incoming governor of Lagos State.