Former Minister of Transportation and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential aspirant Rotimi Amaechi has rejected the outcome of the party's presidential primary election, describing the exercise as deeply flawed and lacking credibility.
ADC Presidential Primary
The ADC conducted a nationwide direct primary on Monday to select its candidate for the 2027 presidential election. Leading contenders included former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, former Managing Director of the defunct FSB International Bank, and Amaechi.
Amaechi's Allegations
In a statement issued on Tuesday, Amaechi alleged widespread voter disenfranchisement, manipulation, and serious electoral malpractice during the exercise. He insisted that the results being announced were concocted and did not reflect the will of party members.
According to him, the primary process was compromised from the outset, with several genuine party members allegedly denied the opportunity to participate across different states. Amaechi accused some party officials of undermining the integrity of the exercise through what he described as coordinated irregularities capable of damaging the party's credibility ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Call for Action
The former Rivers State governor maintained that the conduct of the primary fell short of the democratic standards, transparency, and fairness expected in a credible internal party election. He called on the ADC leadership to urgently address the alleged irregularities and protect the democratic rights of party members.
Amaechi warned that failure to uphold transparency and internal democracy could weaken public confidence in the party and its ability to present itself as a viable alternative ahead of the next general elections.
Internal Tensions
Amaechi's rejection of the process is expected to deepen internal tensions within the ADC as opposition realignments and political calculations ahead of 2027 continue to gather momentum.
