A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Garba Wala, has thrown his weight behind Rotimi Amaechi's decision to reject the outcome of the party's presidential primary election. Wala described the exercise as a shameless auction that betrayed the core values of the ADC.
Speaking in a Facebook post on Wednesday, May 27, 2026, Wala condemned the primary process, alleging widespread vote-buying, result manipulation, and disenfranchisement of voters. He called on former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, whom he identified as the primary beneficiary of the alleged irregularities, to distance himself from the tainted results.
Allegations of Irregularities
Wala detailed several irregularities he claimed occurred during the primary, including the influx of hungry committee members, a hotel situation room, and the weaponization of religion and region against the poor. He accused the ADC of engaging in the same practices it publicly criticizes the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for.
“What we witnessed during the primary elections was not a democratic primary; it was a brazen, shameless auction that betrayed every value the ADC promised to uphold,” Wala stated. He added that there is undisputed evidence of voter disenfranchisement and crude, audacious vote-buying.
Call for Atiku to Act
Wala urged Atiku to immediately wash his hands of what he described as dirty, concocted primary election results. He argued that the systemic manipulation is part of the reason why several prominent politicians left the ADC in the first place. “It has become painfully clear that Atiku is desperate and is willing to go to any length to secure his last chance at a just four-year tenure,” Wala said.
He described the so-called ADC presidential primary result as a forbidden fruit that is highly poisonous to democracy.
Background and Reactions
Recall that Atiku had earlier sent a birthday message to Amaechi, praising his service and courage to Rivers State and Nigeria. That message came amid the controversy over the ADC primary results. Mixed reactions from Nigerians highlighted the political tensions surrounding Atiku's congratulatory post to Amaechi.
In a related development, Shehu Sani also commented on Amaechi's rejection of the ADC presidential primaries results. Mohammed Hayatudeen announced a boycott of the election results collation amid political tensions. Nigerians expressed mixed reactions to Peter Obi's foresight and political maneuvers.
