The African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential primary has seen former Vice President Atiku Abubakar take an early lead, amassing over 1.39 million votes from 25 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). The party has paused collation, set to resume at 8 p.m. on Wednesday, May 27, 2026, pending results from 12 states.
Atiku's Dominance
Atiku's strong performance includes massive margins in northern states. In Adamawa, he secured 177,141 votes, dwarfing Rotimi Amaechi's 1,896 and Mohammed Hayatu-Deen's 18,949. He also polled 155,595 in Kano, 136,933 in Gombe, 86,084 in Borno, and 79,206 in Niger.
Challengers' Rejection
Amaechi and Hayatu-Deen have rejected the primary results, citing widespread irregularities. Despite this, the ADC continued announcing results. Amaechi's best showing was in Akwa Ibom with 20,343 votes, while Hayatu-Deen garnered 23,011 in Borno and 22,141 in Benue.
Collation Suspension
The party suspended collation shortly before midnight on Tuesday, awaiting results from Bauchi, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo, Jigawa, Kaduna, Katsina, Kwara, Lagos, Ogun, and Rivers states. Notably, Amaechi had earlier won the ADC primary in Bayelsa with 44,404 votes.
Atiku also secured a victory in Sokoto with 68,823 votes, far ahead of Amaechi's 292 and Hayatu-Deen's 319. The primary election took place on May 25, 2026, across local government areas.
