Former Minister of Transportation and ex-Governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi, has dismissed the outcome of the African Democratic Congress presidential primaries, claiming the exercise was manipulated and lacked credibility.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, Amaechi declared that he could not recognize the outcome of a process he described as unfair and opaque. He alleged that nearly 80 percent of party members across the country were prevented from participating in the primaries.
“I unequivocally reject the concocted results being announced,” Amaechi stated, adding that the ADC was established to provide Nigerians with a genuine alternative to the ruling All Progressives Congress and should not be linked with electoral misconduct.
The former Rivers governor further accused the party leadership of adopting the same tactics it had previously condemned in the APC and the Independent National Electoral Commission, including allegations of vote buying, election rigging, and result manipulation.
Amaechi’s protest follows the emergence of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as the frontrunner in the ADC presidential contest. Atiku reportedly secured victories in several states, maintaining a significant lead ahead of other aspirants such as Amaechi and Mohammed Hayatu-Deen.
The controversy is likely to deepen internal tensions within the ADC as preparations for the 2027 presidential election gather momentum. Party leaders have yet to publicly address the allegations raised by Amaechi.
