One of the African Democratic Congress presidential aspirants, Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, has withdrawn from the party’s ongoing presidential primary, citing alleged irregularities and concerns over the credibility of the exercise.
Hayatu-Deen announced his decision in a statement issued on Tuesday, saying reports of vote manipulation from across the country had undermined confidence in the process.
“I will not be attending the announcement of the ADC Presidential Election Results today. I am concerned by reports from across the country of widespread vote rigging, some of which I myself observed, and will therefore be taking advice on my next steps,” he said.
His withdrawal comes as the race for the ADC’s 2027 presidential ticket intensifies among three contenders former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi, and Hayatu-Deen.
The party had earlier maintained that the primary process was transparent and democratic.
Hayatu-Deen’s decision to pull out and boycott the result announcement is expected to deepen tensions within the opposition party as collation continues nationwide.
Daily Trust gathered that preparations for the official declaration of results have been completed, with the Abuja venue fully set for the exercise.
Atiku, regarded as the frontrunner in the contest, had already secured victories in at least five states at the time this report was filed.
The development introduces fresh uncertainty into the ADC primary and could trigger further political and legal moves as the party inches toward naming its presidential candidate for the 2027 election.
