Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has emerged as the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) for the 2027 general election.
The party announced that Atiku secured 1,846,370 votes in the nationwide direct primary election to defeat his closest rival and former Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, who polled 504,117 votes.
Businessman Mohammed Hayatu-Deen came third with 177,120 votes.
In his acceptance speech, Atiku commended the ADC for conducting what he described as a democratic and transparent process, stating that the exercise proved democracy remains alive within the party.
“We demonstrated that while democracy is being strangled and suppressed by the ruling party and its operatives, democracy is alive and well in the African Democratic Congress,” Atiku stated.
ADC National Chairman, Senator David Mark, praised party members for participating peacefully in the process, noting that although the exercise was not perfect, it reflected the democratic spirit of the party.
Voting took place across Nigeria’s 8,809 wards using the Option A4 voting system, with party members openly queuing behind their preferred candidates.
However, the outcome of the primary has sparked controversy, as Rotimi Amaechi rejected the results, alleging widespread voter disenfranchisement and irregularities during the exercise.
Similarly, Mohammed Hayatu-Deen raised concerns over alleged vote rigging and indicated he would seek advice on the next line of action.
Atiku, who joined the ADC in 2025 alongside other opposition figures, will now lead the party into the 2027 presidential election as it positions itself as a major challenger to President Bola Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
