Former Vice President of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar, has emerged as the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) for the 2027 general election after recording a decisive victory in the party’s presidential primary election.
Atiku defeated former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, and former banker and economist, Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, in a keenly contested race that attracted nationwide attention as opposition parties intensify preparations for the next presidential election.
The outcome of the exercise was officially announced on Wednesday night in a statement issued by the ADC following the completion of voting and collation of results from party members across the country.
According to the final figures released by the party, Atiku secured a landslide victory with a total of 1,855,787 votes, comfortably defeating Amaechi, who polled 509,397 votes, while Hayatu-Deen came a distant third with 180,903 votes.
The statement issued by the party read: “Atiku defeats Amaechi, Hayatu-Deen to secure ADC Presidential Ticket.
“Final result: Atiku 1,855,787, Amaechi 509,397, Hayatu-Deen 180,903. Total votes cast in the election: 2,546,457. Total party membership for the election: 3,113,599. Congratulations to Waziri Atiku.”
The margin of victory further demonstrated Atiku’s overwhelming dominance in the contest. He defeated Amaechi by 1,346,390 votes and led Hayatu-Deen by 1,674,884 votes.
The ADC presidential primary commenced on Monday, May 25, 2026, with accredited party members participating in the exercise across the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory under the direct primary system adopted by the party leadership.
The direct primary arrangement allowed registered party members to vote directly for their preferred aspirants, a process party officials described as part of the ADC’s commitment to internal democracy and transparency.
Prior to the election, the party had witnessed intense consultations and negotiations aimed at producing a consensus presidential candidate in order to avoid internal divisions and strengthen opposition unity ahead of the 2027 polls.
Several stakeholders within the party had reportedly pushed for a consensus arrangement, arguing that a united front would position the ADC more strongly against the ruling party in the general election.
However, the three frontline aspirants — Atiku, Amaechi, and Hayatu-Deen — reportedly declined appeals to step down for one another, forcing the party leadership to proceed with a full-scale primary election.
Although discussions around consensus continued until the final stages of the process, the ADC leadership eventually resolved to adopt the direct primary option, insisting that the decision was consistent with the Electoral Act 2026 and the party’s constitution.
Political observers believe Atiku’s emergence is likely to significantly reshape the political landscape ahead of the 2027 presidential election, especially as opposition parties continue efforts to build stronger alliances capable of challenging the ruling party at the federal level.
Atiku, who previously served as vice president between 1999 and 2007, remains one of Nigeria’s most experienced politicians, having contested the presidency multiple times under different political platforms.
His emergence as the ADC flagbearer is expected to trigger fresh political realignments, negotiations, and coalition talks across the country in the coming months.
Meanwhile, tensions trailed the conduct of the primary election after both Amaechi and Hayatu-Deen reportedly raised concerns over alleged irregularities during the voting process.
According to reports, the two aspirants boycotted the official announcement of results on Tuesday night, alleging that aspects of the election process lacked transparency.
Although details of the alleged irregularities were not immediately provided, party sources disclosed that disagreements emerged during the collation stage, leading to protests from some supporters of the defeated aspirants.
Despite the controversy, the ADC leadership maintained that the process was free, fair, and credible, insisting that the will of party members prevailed.
The party also commended members for their peaceful conduct throughout the exercise and urged all aspirants and supporters to unite behind Atiku ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
With the conclusion of the primary, attention is now expected to shift toward Atiku’s choice of running mate, coalition-building efforts, and preparations for what promises to be a highly competitive presidential race in 2027.
