Aspirants and members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have been urged to prioritize unity and sportsmanship as nationwide primaries commence, warning against rancorous conduct that could undermine the party’s strength ahead of the 2026 general elections.
President Bola Tinubu made the call in a statement to mark the commencement of the primaries—from House of Representatives contests on May 15 to presidential polls on May 25—described the exercise as “a referendum on our unity, resilience and strength as a party.”
President Tinubu praised ongoing consensus efforts under the Electoral Act (2026) and party constitution, calling it “a commendable option that would help in reducing rancour and bad blood among party members.”Where consensus fails.
“I urge us all to go into the primaries as brothers and sisters.
All participants in the primaries, as contestants or voters, must keep the peace and be ready to play as sportsmen and women in the overall interest of the party and our country.”
Tinubu cautioned winners against gloating and losers to show grace, adding:
“We cannot afford rancorous conduct or the debasement of our democracy and party unity. In every contest, there will be a winner and a loser.“
I urge the winners not to gloat in victory and the losers to show sportsmanship by taking things in their stride and preparing for another time.“
The ultimate winners are those who don’t choose to wreck the boat but rather work to prepare for another round. Our opponents are waiting for us to be against each other; we should disappoint them” he stressed.
