JUST IN: Atiku wins ADC presidential primary election

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has emerged as the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress for the 2027 general election.

The party announced the result on Wednesday night through a statement posted on its official X handle, confirming Atiku’s victory over former Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi and former banker Mohammed Hayatu-Deen.

According to the ADC, Atiku secured 1,855,787 votes to defeat Amaechi, who polled 509,397 votes, while Hayatu-Deen finished third with 180,903 votes.

The party said a total of 2,546,457 votes were cast during the primary election, conducted from a membership base of 3,113,599.

“Atiku defeats Amaechi, Hayatudeen to secure ADC Presidential Ticket,” the statement read, congratulating the former vice president on his victory.

A breakdown of the figures showed that Atiku defeated Amaechi by a margin of 1,346,390 votes and led Hayatu-Deen by 1,674,884 votes, underlining his commanding performance in the contest.

The ADC began its presidential primary process on Monday, May 25, with party members across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory participating through the direct primary system.

The party had earlier considered adopting an affirmation process but eventually settled for direct primaries after its three leading aspirants reportedly declined pressure to step down for a consensus candidate.

Party officials said the decision was made in compliance with the Electoral Act 2026 and to ensure a competitive and transparent selection process.

Atiku’s victory, however, comes amid controversy, as both Amaechi and Hayatu-Deen had earlier raised concerns over alleged irregularities and voter disenfranchisement during the exercise. Despite the objections, the final declaration confirmed Atiku as the ADC flag bearer for the 2027 presidential race.