President Bola Tinubu’s reported 10,999,162 votes in the APC presidential primary has triggered a wave of skepticism online, with many Nigerians questioning how the figure compares to his 2023 general election tally.
The numbers were released in a State House statement shared by presidential aide Bayo Onanuga.
According to the release, Tinubu defeated lone challenger Stanley Osifo, who polled 16,503 votes, in a nationwide primary held across 774 LGAs and 8,809 wards on May 24.
The announcement quickly went viral, drawing criticism and mockery. Critics pointed to the 2023 presidential election, where INEC declared Tinubu the winner with 8,794,726 votes nationwide.
They argued it was implausible for an internal party contest to produce higher turnout and support than a general election.
Much of the backlash centered on the state-by-state breakdown, with users disputing figures attributed to the South-East and other areas where the APC has historically polled low.
Supporters countered that the result reflected party mobilization and loyalty, but opposition voices and commentators dismissed it as exaggerated.
—Reactions online—
– @ubongutioh: “He scored a mere 8 million in the last election… Then 3 years later, he scored 11 million in the APC primary election. Magic. My worry is why shame no de catch una!”
– @BeegTipsy: “How can someone have 8m votes in presidential election and 11m votes in party primaries? Una no rate Nigerians at all”
– @consultchimosky: “You guys still rig in your own primary election against your own members too.”
As of Monday morning, the APC had not issued further clarification beyond the initial press release.
Recall that Nigeria’s 2023 presidential election saw total accredited votes of 24.9 million out of 93.4 million registered voters, a 26.7% turnout. Tinubu’s 8.79 million votes represented 36.6% of valid votes cast.
Party primaries in Nigeria are typically conducted by delegates and party officials, not the general electorate.
A claim of nearly 11 million votes suggests either a direct primary involving all registered APC members or a significant discrepancy in how votes were counted and reported.
Direct primaries are allowed under the Electoral Act 2022, but logistically complex and rarely produce turnout close to general election levels.
The APC used a mix of direct and indirect primaries in 2022 ahead of the 2023 elections.
Without a detailed breakdown and verification process from the party, the figures remain contested in public debate.
