Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has emerged as the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) after a contentious primary election. The ADC Presidential Primary Electoral Committee declared him the winner in Abuja following a two-day collation process. However, the results have been rejected by his main rivals, former Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi and economist Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, who have raised concerns over the transparency of the exercise.
Collation and Declaration
The returning officer for the exercise, Senator Tunde Ogbeha, announced the results late Wednesday night after the collation process concluded. According to the figures presented, Atiku polled a total of 1,846,370 votes to defeat his closest challengers. Amaechi secured 504,117 votes, while Hayatu-Deen scored 177,120 votes. The victory positions Atiku as the ADC’s standard bearer ahead of the 2027 presidential election, following weeks of intense consultations and political realignments within the opposition bloc.
Reactions and Controversy
The announcement was met with immediate pushback from the camps of Amaechi and Hayatu-Deen, who alleged irregularities in the collation process. Both candidates have vowed to challenge the outcome through internal party mechanisms and possibly legal avenues. The primary was seen as a critical step in uniting opposition forces against the ruling party in the upcoming election.
This marks the fourth time Atiku has emerged as a presidential candidate, having previously contested under the platforms of the Action Congress (AC), the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and now the ADC. His political journey continues to draw both support and criticism as he seeks the highest office in the land.
