Former Rivers State governor and presidential aspirant Rotimi Amaechi has rejected the outcome of the presidential primaries conducted by the African Democratic Congress (ADC), alleging widespread irregularities and voter disenfranchisement during the exercise.
In a strongly worded statement released after the nationwide direct primaries, Amaechi described the announced results as “concocted” and insisted that the process failed to meet the standards of fairness, transparency, and internal democracy promised by the party.
The former minister stated that he had earlier committed to accepting the results only if the primaries were conducted in a free and credible manner.
According to him, reports from across the country indicated that a significant number of registered party members were unable to vote during the exercise.
Amaechi alleged that nearly 80 percent of party members were effectively disenfranchised, arguing that such a process could not genuinely reflect the will of ADC supporters nationwide.
He further accused elements within the party of engaging in the same practices the opposition regularly condemns in Nigeria’s electoral system, including vote buying, result manipulation, and other forms of malpractice.
“A party that criticizes the ruling APC and INEC for vote buying, rigging and writing of results, cannot itself engage in such conduct,” Amaechi said in the statement.
The primaries, held across Nigeria’s 8,809 wards, featured major contenders including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Amaechi, and businessman Mohammed Hayatu-Deen.
Early results showed Atiku leading in several northern states, while controversy erupted online over viral videos allegedly showing irregular vote announcements and suspiciously inflated figures at some polling units.
Hayatu-Deen’s camp had also reportedly expressed dissatisfaction with aspects of the process, with reports suggesting his team distanced itself from parts of the collation exercise.
Amaechi’s rejection of the results now deepens the crisis within the ADC and raises uncertainty about the party’s ability to maintain unity ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Political analysts warn that prolonged disputes within the opposition party could weaken efforts to build a strong coalition capable of challenging President Bola Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Supporters of Amaechi praised his stance as a defense of democratic principles, while critics accused losing camps of attempting to discredit the process after failing to secure enough support.
As of the time of reporting, the ADC leadership had yet to issue a detailed response to Amaechi’s allegations or indicate whether the disputed results would be reviewed.
