Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has secured the presidential ticket of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) after defeating former Rivers State governor Rotimi Amaechi and businessman Mohammed Hayatu-Deen in the party’s nationwide direct primary election.
Announcing the outcome of the exercise, the party said Atiku polled 1,846,370 votes, while Amaechi came second with 504,117 votes. Hayatu-Deen finished third with 177,120 votes.
In his acceptance speech, Atiku praised the ADC leadership and members for conducting what he described as a democratic process despite challenges confronting opposition politics in the country.
“We demonstrated that while decmocrtacy os being strangled and squashed by its ruling party and its operatives, democracy is alive and well in the African Democratic Congress,” he said.
The National Chairman of the ADC, David Mark, said the party ensured a level playing ground for all aspirants, allowing members to freely decide who would represent the party in the 2027 presidential election.
According to him, although the process was not without shortcomings, there was room for improvement in future exercises.
Mark noted that all the aspirants possessed the capacity to lead the country but stressed that only one candidate could emerge as the party’s flag bearer.
The contest intensified on Monday as party members across the country participated in the direct primary held in all 8,809 wards nationwide using the Option A4 voting method, where supporters openly queued behind their preferred aspirants.
While Atiku commended the conduct of the exercise, Amaechi and Hayatu-Deen strongly criticised the process and rejected the outcome.
Amaechi alleged that many party members were prevented from voting during the exercise and dismissed the announced results.
“Following reports of widespread voter disenfranchisement in most parts of the country during the African Democratic Congress (ADC) Presidential Primaries yesterday, I unequivocally reject the concocted results being announced,” he stated on X.
Hayatu-Deen also distanced himself from the announcement of the results, citing alleged irregularities and vote manipulation during the primary.
“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, some of which I myself observed, and will therefore be taking advice on my next steps,” he said in a statement on Tuesday.
Atiku and Amaechi both joined the ADC in July 2025 alongside several opposition figures as part of efforts to build a stronger coalition ahead of the 2027 general election and challenge President Bola Tinubu and the ruling APC.
Former Anambra State governor Peter Obi later moved to the Nigeria Democratic Congress alongside former Kano State governor Musa Kwankwaso.
The conclusion of the primary now positions Atiku as the ADC’s presidential candidate for the 2027 election as the party seeks to establish itself as a major opposition force ahead of the polls.