The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has raised concerns that President Bola Tinubu's assertion of securing 10.99 million votes during the recently concluded All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential primaries is a calculated move to rig the 2027 general elections. The party vowed to uphold transparent, inclusive, and democratic principles in selecting its own presidential candidate.
Atiku Dismisses Tinubu's Vote Figures
Former Vice President and ADC presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar dismissed Tinubu's claimed 10 million votes as fabricated numbers with no political relevance to the ADC. He stated that such figures do not reflect the true political reality in the country.
ADC also criticized Tinubu's recent remarks attacking the opposition, describing them as self-serving and insensitive. In his acceptance speech as the APC presidential candidate, Tinubu alleged that opposition leaders would only move the country backward due to a lack of alternative vision.
In a statement by National Publicity Secretary Bolaji Abdullahi, ADC called it a grand irony that such comments came from a president whose tenure would be remembered as one of the worst periods in Nigeria's democratic history. The party warned that the 10.99 million votes figure was an unbelievable concoction that could serve as a basis for rigging the 2027 elections.
ADC Pledges Democratic Integrity
Addressing journalists at the party's collation center in Abuja, Chairman of the ADC Presidential Primaries Election Committee, Ikechi Emenike, stated that despite the degradation of democratic values in Nigeria's political landscape, the ADC would set a standard for real democracy and ballot integrity.
The party emphasized: Unlike the culture of imposition, consensus manipulation, and predetermined outcomes prevalent in contemporary political parties, the ADC has embraced a credible democratic process that gives every qualified aspirant equal opportunity to present their vision and earn support across the country.
ADC noted that it is the only party blessed with three eminently qualified aspirants capable of leading the nation at this critical time: Atiku Abubakar, Rotimi Amaechi, and Mohammed Hayatu-deen.
Atiku Confident in ADC's Strength
After casting his vote during the ADC presidential primaries in Yola, Atiku maintained that the ADC remains focused, confident, and fully prepared to challenge for national leadership. He insisted that the APC's announced figures do not reflect political reality.
Atiku described the reported 10 million votes as mere numbers that pose no threat to ADC's growing political strength and grassroots mobilization. He stated that the party is building a formidable platform to secure victory at the polls, dismissing concerns over internal disagreements as common in democratic organizations that would not undermine unity or determination.
