The contender for the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential ticket, Stanley Osifo, has said he is not satisfied with the outcome of the presidential primary.
PrimeTimes Nigeria reports that Osifo spoke on Sunday shortly after President Bola Tinubu was declared the winner of the nationwide direct presidential primary held across 8,809 wards on Saturday.
Tinubu polled 10,999,162 votes to defeat Osifo, who scored 16,503 votes.
However, Osifo said the defeat will not stop him from working for the success of the APC in the 2027 general elections.
Speaking with our journalists after the collation and declaration at the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre in Abuja, he said, “I’m not okay with the outcome of the results. And I’m working with the party, I’m working with the candidate of the party as well. I have no problem with it.”
The businessman said his participation in the primary should not be seen as a personal challenge against Tinubu, but as part of the internal democratic process of the ruling party.
According to him, members of the APC remain part of one political family despite the contest.
He said, “We are one party, we are members of the All Progressives Congress, we are one family.
“So we are not challenging ourselves. What we did was to have within ourselves who would become the candidate of the party.
“So where we are now, we have that already today.”
Osifo Accepts Tinubu’s Olive Branch
Osifo also reacted to Tinubu’s statement that he bore no grudge against him after the contest.
The President had, after being declared the winner of the primary, extended an olive branch to his challenger and political opponents, saying he was open to dialogue and engagement.
Responding, Osifo said the feeling was mutual, adding that no candidate could succeed alone without the support of party members.
He said, “That is why we are working together. We are one party, so we must work together. Nobody is an island.
“Even if I had become the candidate today, I cannot work alone. I need a team.
“So offering an olive branch is something that everybody would want to support the president for.”
Osifo, who purchased the APC nomination form for ₦100m after a planned consensus arrangement collapsed, said his political future remained open.
He noted that he was still young and had many years ahead of him in politics.
Osifo said, “I am a very young man. I have a lot of years ahead of me, so it’s possible for things to happen.
“But I think God knows better, and God knows tomorrow. So let’s just hope on God and work as we move forward.”
The businessman also expressed gratitude to his supporters across the country, saying they worked hard despite the outcome of the primary.
He said his campaign had coordinators in the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, as well as in local governments and wards.
Osifo said, “My supporters that voted for me, including those clapping for me, I want to deeply express my gratitude to them. It’s not been an easy task.
“We have 36 states in Nigeria including the FCT, 37, and we have coordinators in all the states, in all the local governments, in all the wards. They have done marvellously well.”
Tinubu’s victory followed the APC direct presidential primary conducted nationwide on Saturday.
Osifo was the only aspirant who formally contested against the President after he purchased the nomination form.
He reportedly recorded zero votes in several states, including the Federal Capital Territory, Delta, Kogi, Ebonyi and Jigawa.
Despite the wide margin of defeat, Osifo said he would remain in the APC and work with Tinubu and other party leaders ahead of the 2027 general elections.