Former Rivers State Governor and ex-Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, has openly rejected the outcome of the African Democratic Congress presidential primaries, describing the exercise as manipulated and lacking transparency. His reaction came shortly after early results from the nationwide primaries indicated that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar was leading the race for the party’s 2027 presidential ticket.
Amaechi, in a strongly worded statement posted on his X account, accused the party leadership of allowing widespread voter disenfranchisement and electoral malpractice during the primaries conducted across the country. According to him, the results being announced did not reflect a credible democratic process and could not be accepted by anyone committed to fairness and transparency. He insisted that he had earlier made it clear that he would only recognise the outcome if the exercise was conducted in a free, fair and transparent manner.
The former minister further alleged that the ideals the ADC claimed to represent had been compromised by actions taken during the primary election. Amaechi maintained that the party was expected to provide Nigerians with a credible alternative political platform ahead of the 2027 general election, but said the conduct of the primaries raised serious concerns about internal democracy within the party. ..READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE .
Tension surrounding the exercise also spread to several states, especially Imo State, where members of Amaechi’s campaign structure rejected the declared results and described the entire process as a “sham.” His supporters alleged that no proper voting took place in many wards and claimed accredited agents were denied access to polling locations while results were allegedly compiled secretly in undisclosed locations.
The controversy deepened after another presidential aspirant, Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, also distanced himself from the process by boycotting the official announcement of the results. Hayatu-Deen alleged widespread vote rigging and irregularities across several states, adding that he was reviewing possible next steps regarding the outcome of the exercise.
Despite the growing complaints, Atiku continued to dominate early results announced from several states including Gombe, Sokoto, Zamfara, Abia and Ebonyi, placing him firmly ahead in the race for the ADC presidential ticket. Political observers believe the unfolding dispute could trigger internal legal battles and further tension within the opposition party as coalition talks ahead of the 2027 election continue to gather momentum.
