Atiku Wins ADC Presidential Primary With Over 1.8 Million Votes

Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has emerged as the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress for the 2027 general elections after winning the party’s nationwide primary election.

According to results announced on Wednesday in Abuja, Atiku polled 1,846,370 votes to defeat former Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi, who secured 504,117 votes, while former banker Mohammed Hayatu-Deen scored 177,120 votes.

The results were declared after the collation of votes from the presidential primary election conducted across the federation.

Chairman of the Presidential Primary Election Committee, Chief Ikechi Emenike, disclosed that a total of 2,527,977 registered party members participated in the exercise.

Emenike stated that the figures announced were results submitted by officially recognised party chairmen deployed to supervise the election in different states.

Following the announcement, the Chief Returning Officer, Senator Tunde Ogbeha, formally declared Atiku winner of the primary election.

In his acceptance speech, Atiku congratulated the other aspirants and commended party members for what he described as a transparent and credible electoral process.

He said the ADC had shown that democracy was still alive despite what he called growing intimidation and suppression of opposition parties in Nigeria.

According to him, party members were given the freedom to express opinions, pursue ambitions and contest for positions through democratic means.

Atiku described the ADC as a coalition built on sacrifice and compromise by leaders determined to strengthen Nigeria’s democracy ahead of the 2027 elections.

The former vice-president also expressed concern over insecurity, economic hardship, nepotism and political intolerance in the country.

“This election is not about winners and losers. It is about rescuing Nigeria from misrule,” he said.

He urged party members to remain united and appealed to aggrieved aspirants and supporters, including Amaechi and Hayatu-Deen, to work together for the future of the party and the country.

“There are no winners and losers. Our people look up to us for leadership, and we are ready to lead,” Atiku added.

He further pledged to collaborate with party leaders and members to strengthen the ADC and provide leadership capable of rebuilding Nigeria for future generations.