ADC Presidential Aspirant Amaechi Rejects Election Outcome
Rotimi Amaechi, a presidential aspirant of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), has rejected the outcome of the party's presidential primaries held on Monday, May 25. The former Rivers State governor and ex-minister of transportation alleged widespread voter disenfranchisement and electoral malpractice during the exercise.
In a statement posted on his X (formerly Twitter) handle, Amaechi described the results being announced as “concocted” and insisted that the process failed to meet the standards of fairness, transparency, and credibility expected of the ADC.
“Following reports of widespread voter disenfranchisement in most parts of the country during the ADC presidential primaries yesterday, I unequivocally reject the concocted results being announced,” Amaechi wrote.
He noted that he had earlier stated he would only accept the outcome if the exercise was conducted in a free, fair, and transparent manner. He questioned the integrity of the process, saying, “There’s no way that about eighty per cent of members of the party were not allowed to vote, and you expect me to accept such results. Then what makes us different from the others?”
Amaechi accused the ADC of engaging in the same practices it had criticized the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for, including vote buying, manipulation of results, and voter suppression. He emphasized that the ADC was founded to provide Nigerians with an alternative political platform capable of amplifying the voices of the downtrodden and rescuing the country from impunity and gross mismanagement.
Hayatu-Deen Also Raises Rigging Allegations
Earlier, another ADC presidential aspirant, Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, announced his decision to boycott the announcement of the party’s presidential primary results. In a post on X, he expressed concern over reports of widespread vote rigging across the country.
“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,” Hayatu-Deen said.
Preliminary results from several states indicated that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar was leading the race by wide margins, even as final collation had yet to begin in Abuja.
Amaechi Support Group Boycotts Result Announcement
The Amaechi support group, known as the Movement for Amaechi’s Presidency and led by Chigozie Alex, also rejected the outcome of the ADC presidential primary that declared Atiku the winner in Imo State. The group described the exercise as a “sham” and alleged that what took place was not a direct primary but a secret selection carried out in connivance with Atiku’s agents.
The group claimed that elections were not held in most wards across the state and that the process was conducted without the presence of other aspirants’ agents and without adherence to the ADC constitution or the Electoral Act.
