ADC primary crisis deepens as Amaechi rejects Atiku’s lead

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential primary has been thrown into controversy after former Rivers State Governor and presidential aspirant, Rotimi Amaechi, rejected the outcome of the exercise, describing the results as “concocted.”

 

Amaechi, one of three contenders for the ADC presidential ticket alongside former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and economist Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, announced his position in a statement posted Tuesday on his verified X handle.

 

The former Minister of Transportation alleged widespread voter disenfranchisement during the nationwide direct primary conducted across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

 

“Following reports of widespread voter disenfranchisement in most parts of the country during the African Democratic Congress Presidential Primaries yesterday, I unequivocally reject the concocted results being announced,” Amaechi stated.

 

“I had initially stated that I will only accept the outcome of the primaries if the process was free, fair, and transparent, and I stand by my word.”

 

Amaechi claimed that about 80 per cent of party members were denied the opportunity to vote.

 

“There’s no way that about eighty per cent of members of the party were not allowed to vote, and you expect me to accept such results. Then what makes us different from the others?” he asked.

 

His rejection came hours after fellow aspirant Hayatu-Deen also boycotted the final collation and declaration ceremony in Abuja over alleged irregularities.

 

“I will not be attending the announcement of the ADC Presidential Election Results today. I am concerned by reports from across the country of widespread vote rigging,” Hayatu-Deen wrote on his verified X handle.

 

Despite the protests, collation continued at the Transcorp Hilton, Abuja, with early results showing Atiku maintaining a commanding lead.

 

Of the results announced from 24 states and the FCT before officials paused collation, Atiku reportedly won 22 states and the FCT, while Amaechi secured victories in two states.

 

Atiku recorded major wins in states including Adamawa, Kano, Sokoto, Gombe, Enugu, Edo, Kebbi, Niger and Oyo.

 

In Adamawa, Atiku polled 177,141 votes, while Hayatu-Deen and Amaechi secured 18,949 and 1,896 votes respectively.

 

In Kano, Atiku recorded 155,595 votes, ahead of Hayatu-Deen’s 15,914 and Amaechi’s 9,994.

 

Amaechi, however, won in Akwa Ibom and Ebonyi states.

 

The controversy has cast fresh doubt over the credibility of the opposition party’s primary process as it prepares for the 2027 general election.

 

Responding to the allegations, ADC National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, urged aggrieved aspirants to pursue complaints through internal party mechanisms.

 

Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today, Abdullahi said there was no evidence at the moment to confirm claims of rigging.

 

“We currently do not have sufficient evidence to either support or dismiss those claims. Since the results are still being collated, we have not observed any clear pattern that would substantiate such allegations,” he said.

 

He added that the Independent National Electoral Commission had monitored the party’s primaries across the country.

 

“INEC has attended and monitored all our congresses and primary elections across the 36 states and the FCT. Every stage of the process has been fully documented by INEC officials,” Abdullahi said.

 

As of press time, the ADC had yet to officially declare its presidential candidate.