Atiku Picks Amaechi as Vice Presidential Nominee
Barring any last-minute changes, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has successfully secured a potential 'AA' ticket on the presidential ballot of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) by selecting former Transportation Minister Chibuike Amaechi as his running mate. This development follows weeks of intense negotiations within the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) coalition platform, which had been threatened by post-primary disputes.
The choice of Amaechi serves as a bold counter to the 'OK' ticket pairing of Peter Obi and Rabiu Kwankwaso on the rival NDC for the January 16, 2027, presidential election. By settling for Amaechi, Atiku appears to have rectified a mistake from the 2023 election cycle, when he refused to accept former Rivers State governor Nyesom Wike, who had emerged as the first runner-up in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential primary.
While the duo of 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate Obi and his New Nigeria Peoples Party counterpart Kwankwaso joined the ADC, speculations were rife that the party had a predetermined plan for Atiku to run with the former transportation minister to achieve a North-East/South-South balance. However, Amaechi, shortly after filling his N90 million presidential nomination form, stated he was not positioning himself for a VP slot. On May 20, he ruled out the possibility of a consensus rather than a direct primary.
Speaking to The Guardian, a close ally of Amaechi revealed that Atiku assured him the 'VP nominee would have extensive roles to play in the campaigns and government.' Before this development, ADC chieftain Eze Chukwuemeka Eze dismissed comments by party stalwart Dele Momodu suggesting Amaechi had rejected the VP slot. In a statement, Eze described Momodu's remarks as personal opinion capable of creating unnecessary tension within the party.
Meanwhile, Atiku, in a statement commemorating Democracy Day on June 12, urged citizens to stand up against bad governance and reject the politics of intimidation. He stressed that Nigerians must summon the courage of those who sacrificed for freedom to retain the meaning of June 12. Atiku noted that over the past three years, Nigerians have witnessed a deliberate effort to weaken opposition parties ahead of the 2027 elections through manufactured crises, orchestrated defections, and abuse of state institutions.
