The Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Primary Election Committee, Pius Anyim, on Saturday declared that the ruling party’s adoption of the direct primary model for its 2026 presidential primary election was aimed at deepening democratic participation and advancing electoral reforms in Nigeria.

Speaking at the APC Presidential Primary Election Result Collation Centre at the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Centre, Abuja, Anyim said the exercise marked a historic milestone, describing the APC as the first political party in Nigeria to adopt direct primaries for the selection of its presidential candidate.

According to him, the nationwide exercise, conducted across 8,809 wards in the country, was designed to promote inclusivity, transparency and wider participation of party members in the democratic process.

Anyim explained that the presidential primary process commenced on May 16 with the House of Representatives primaries and would continue until May 26, while the presidential primary itself was conducted on May 23 across the federation adding results from the wards were collated at local government and state levels before being transmitted to the national collation centre in Abuja.

“As you all know, the mode of this election is the direct primary system. I wish to observe that the direct primary model adopted by the APC is not only an effort to select candidates for the 2027 elections, but more importantly to give effect to the long-standing call for electoral reforms,” he stated.

The former Senate President said the direct primary model offered every registered party member the opportunity to participate directly in choosing the party’s candidate, while also eliminating alleged irregularities associated with delegate systems.

“It provides opportunity for all members of the party to participate in the process; it forecloses the vote associated with delegate elections; it offers transparency, as against secret ballot; and it enhances the confidence of each voter that his or her vote counts,” he added.

Anyim also paid glowing tribute to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, whom he credited for championing the direct primary initiative within the party.

“You are swift to act, legendary in vision, and catalytic in prosecuting reforms. By this singular act of adopting the direct primary election, you have dismantled the seemingly intractable obstacles hindering the much-desired electoral reforms in Nigeria today,” he said.

The APC committee chairman disclosed that only two aspirants contested the presidential primary comprising President Tinubu and Mr. Sam Osifo with both candidates and their agents granted access to observe the collation process.

He added that APC governors served as state coordinators for the exercise, while representatives of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), diplomatic corps, observers and journalists were also present at the collation centre.

Anyim further outlined rules guiding the exercise, warning aspirants and their supporters against acts capable of disrupting the process.

“Any act of intimidation, harassment, or attempt to disrupt the process by any aspirant, supporter, or agent shall not be tolerated,” he warned.

He said any aggrieved aspirant could seek redress through the Presidential Primary Election Appeals Committee chaired by former Katsina State Governor, Aminu Bello Masari.

“At the end of this exercise, the committee shall collate the results from all the states and the FCT to determine the final nationwide votes polled by each aspirant,” he said.

He urged participants to accept the outcome of the exercise in the spirit of sportsmanship and unity.

“When the final result is declared, the winner should wear his crown with humility, knowing that victory is a trust from the people. Those who do not prevail should wear their honor with pride, because in this room no vote is wasted and no voice is silent. We are all winners,” he declared.