APC’s Electoral History in Nigeria: From 2015 to the Present

Last checked: 14 October 2026. This article explains APC electoral history in Nigeria using published election figures. It is civic education, not an endorsement of any party or candidate, and it does not predict future results.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has been Nigeria’s governing party since 2015, and its electoral history is one of the clearest ways to understand how Nigerian politics has changed in a little over a decade. This guide walks through the main contests, the numbers behind them and what they suggest, from the party’s creation to the run-up to the 2027 elections.

How the APC began

The APC was formed in February 2013 as an alliance of opposition parties: the Action Congress of Nigeria, the Congress for Progressive Change, the All Nigeria Peoples Party and a faction of the All Progressives Grand Alliance. Later in 2013 a group of defectors from the then ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), including several sitting governors, joined it. The aim was simple: unite enough opposition votes to beat a party that had won every presidential election since 1999.

2015: the first defeat of a sitting president

In the March 2015 presidential election, APC candidate Muhammadu Buhari polled 15,424,921 votes (53.96%) against 12,853,162 (44.96%) for President Goodluck Jonathan of the PDP. Buhari carried 21 states. It was the first time an incumbent president had lost a Nigerian election, and Jonathan conceded before all state results were announced. The APC also won 60 of 109 Senate seats and 212 of 360 House seats, according to published figures.

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2019: re-election with a smaller turnout

The 2019 election was postponed by a week, at about 3 a.m. on the original polling day, because of logistical problems. When voting took place, Buhari won 15,191,847 votes (55.60%) against 11,262,978 (41.22%) for Atiku Abubakar of the PDP, carrying 19 states. The APC held 63 Senate seats and 202 House seats afterwards. Turnout fell to 34.75% from 43.65% in 2015, and Buhari’s raw vote total was about 233,000 lower than four years earlier even though his percentage rose. Atiku’s petition was dismissed by the courts.

2023: a close, crowded contest

With Buhari term-limited, Bola Tinubu became the APC candidate. He won 8,794,726 votes (36.61%), ahead of Atiku Abubakar (6,984,520, or 29.07%), Peter Obi of the Labour Party (6,101,533, or 25.40%) and Rabiu Kwankwaso of the NNPP (1,496,687, or 6.23%). Turnout was 26.71%. The APC’s Senate seats slipped to 59 and its House seats to 176. The Supreme Court unanimously dismissed the appeals of Atiku and Obi on 26 October 2023.

The numbers side by side

• Winning vote share: 53.96% (2015), 55.60% (2019), 36.61% (2023).
• Turnout: 43.65% (2015), 34.75% (2019), 26.71% (2023).
• Senate seats: 60, then 63, then 59.
• House seats: 212, then 202, then 176.

Two trends stand out. Each election has been won with a smaller share of registered voters taking part, and the party’s legislative majority has narrowed even while it kept the presidency.

Strength among governors since 2023

The APC took most of the governorships decided in March 2023, with early reports counting wins in 15 of the first 25 states declared. Since then the party has grown through defections. BusinessDay reported on 9 March 2026 that the APC had 31 governors after Zamfara’s governor left the PDP, leaving just five governorships with other parties. That concentration of state power matters because governors shape local party structures and campaigns.

2026: primaries and the road to 2027

In May 2026 the APC held a nationwide direct presidential primary. Tinubu received 10,999,162 votes, while his only challenger, Stanley Osifo, received 16,503. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has published a final list of 18 presidential candidates, including Tinubu for the APC, Atiku Abubakar for the ADC and Peter Obi for the NDC. The presidential and National Assembly elections are fixed for 16 January 2027, with governorship and state assembly polls on 6 February 2027.

Why the history matters

• It shows that Nigerian voters have removed a ruling party at the ballot box, as in 2015.
• It shows how a dominant party can keep winning while participation declines.
• It shows that disputes often move from polling units to the courts, which makes legal rules as important as campaigns.

What we could not confirm

• The final, complete 2023 governorship tally, which we did not verify in full.
• Any result for 2027, which has not happened yet.
• Exact vote counts that may differ slightly between sources, so check INEC’s own published results.

Frequently asked questions

When was the APC formed? In February 2013, from a merger of several opposition parties.

How many presidential elections has the APC won? Three, in 2015, 2019 and 2023.

When is the next presidential election? INEC has set 16 January 2027.

Key takeaways

The APC’s history runs from a historic 2015 win to a narrower 2023 victory, with lower turnout at each stage. Its position among governors has strengthened since 2023, and the 2027 contest is now under way with fixed dates and an INEC list of 18 candidates.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has played a major role in Nigeria’s political development since its formation in 2013. Its journey from opposition coalition to governing party has included presidential victories, changing voter participation and shifts in political influence across the states.

In 2015, APC made history when Muhammadu Buhari defeated incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan. The election marked the first time an opposition party defeated a sitting Nigerian president at the ballot box. Buhari’s victory represented a major turning point in the country’s multiparty democracy.

INEC Nigeria

APC retained the presidency in 2019, when Buhari won a second term. In 2023, Bola Ahmed Tinubu became the party’s presidential candidate and won the election. However, the results also highlighted the importance of voter participation, regional voting patterns and competition among political parties. Comparing elections requires looking beyond winning percentages to examine registered voters, actual ballots cast and rejected votes.

APC’s position among state governors has also changed through elections, defections and shifting political alliances. Such changes can affect its influence in state assemblies, the National Assembly and national policy discussions. However, party affiliation alone does not establish how well a state is governed.

Attention is now turning to the 2027 general election. INEC’s published timetable and candidate information provide important starting points for understanding the next contest. The commission’s final list reported in September 2026 contained 18 presidential candidates.

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For voters, the key questions concern economic policy, security, employment, accountability and public services. APC’s history offers useful context, but the next election should be assessed through verified facts, candidates’ proposals and their records in office.

Sources checked

• Wikipedia, 2015, 2019 and 2023 Nigerian general election pages (compiling INEC figures)
• ICIR, Supreme Court judgment on the 2023 presidential petitions, 26 October 2023
• BusinessDay, “PDP depletes, APC governors rise to 31”, 9 March 2026
• Channels TV, APC presidential primary result, 24 May 2026
• Nairametrics, INEC final list of 18 presidential candidates, 12 September 2026