By Ayomide Otitoju
Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Thursday warned members of the All Progressives Congress against engaging in infighting and “do-or-die” politics as the party begins its nationwide primaries ahead of the 2027 general elections.
In a statement personally signed by the president, Tinubu urged aspirants, delegates and party leaders to conduct themselves peacefully and uphold the principles of fairness, internal democracy and sportsmanship throughout the exercise.
The president described the primaries, which begin with the House of Representatives contests and end with the presidential primary on May 25, 2026, as critical to the unity and future of the ruling party.
“We should not play the politics of old; the do-or-die politics that we have put behind us. Politics should never be a zero-sum game,” Tinubu stated.
He called on contestants to view the process as an opportunity to strengthen party cohesion rather than create divisions.
According to him, where consensus arrangements fail, aspirants should approach the primaries peacefully and accept the outcome in the spirit of democracy.
Tinubu also warned against actions capable of undermining party unity, urging winners to avoid triumphalism and losers to accept defeat in good faith.
The president commended ongoing efforts by party leaders to adopt consensus candidates in line with the Electoral Act and the APC constitution, describing the approach as a useful means of reducing tension and internal rancour.
He further urged governors and party leaders at all levels to provide a level playing field for all aspirants and avoid acts of bias or favoritism.
Tinubu also appealed for greater participation of women and youths in the party’s political process, describing their inclusion as important to the future of the APC.
The president equally cautioned the police and other security agencies to restrict their involvement to maintaining peace and order during the primaries.
He expressed optimism that the ruling party would emerge stronger after the exercise and wished all aspirants success in the contests.
