…Amaechi, Hayatu-Deen Reject Results, Accuse Atiku of Rigging
…Atiku Coasts to Victory with Broad National Spread
By Abu Adamu
Fresh crisis has engulfed the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential primary following allegations of widespread rigging and voter disenfranchisement by two frontline aspirants, former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, and businessman Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, against the emerging victory of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.
The controversy erupted on Tuesday as Atiku coasted to victory in Sokoto, Abia, Osun, Gombe, Ebonyi, and Zamfara states in results announced from state collation centres ahead of the official declaration by the party’s national leadership.
Amaechi, in a strongly worded statement posted on his X handle, rejected the outcome of the exercise, describing the results being announced as “concocted” and inconsistent with the democratic ideals earlier promised by the party.
According to the former Rivers State governor, the primary was marred by massive disenfranchisement across several states, insisting that the process lacked transparency and credibility.
“Following reports of widespread voter disenfranchisement in most parts of the country during the ADC Presidential Primaries yesterday, I unequivocally reject the concocted results being announced,” Amaechi stated.
He maintained that he had made it clear before the exercise that he would only accept the outcome of a free, fair, and transparent process.
“There’s no way that about eighty percent of members of the party were not allowed to vote, and you expect me to accept such results. Then what makes us different from the others?” he queried.
Amaechi further accused the party leadership of replicating the same electoral malpractice it had previously condemned in the ruling APC and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), including vote buying, result manipulation, and suppression of voters.
The development came hours after fellow aspirant, Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, also distanced himself from the process and boycotted the official announcement of results over alleged irregularities.
In a statement posted on his X handle, Hayatu-Deen said he had received disturbing reports of widespread rigging across the country, some of which he personally witnessed.
“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 stated.
Despite the growing controversy, Atiku has continued to dominate the ongoing collation exercise.
In Gombe State, the former vice president polled 139,334 votes, while Amaechi secured 1,150 votes and Hayatu-Deen got 464 votes. In Abia, Atiku scored 25,153 votes against Amaechi’s 18,339 votes and Hayatu-Deen’s 3,264 votes.
Results from Ebonyi showed Atiku polling 15,300 votes, while Amaechi and Hayatu-Deen recorded 2,200 and 200 votes respectively. In Sokoto, Atiku secured 69,431 votes ahead of Amaechi’s 292 votes and Hayatu-Deen’s 319 votes, while in Zamfara he polled 60,500 votes to defeat Hayatu-Deen’s 436 votes and Amaechi’s 191 votes.
In Osun State, Atiku reportedly swept all 30 local government areas with 12,321 votes out of the 17,000 accredited voters, according to figures released by the party’s electoral committee.
The ADC leadership had earlier described the primary as a defining moment for the party and promised a transparent and democratic process capable of offering Nigerians a credible alternative ahead of the 2027 general election.
However, the latest allegations by Amaechi and Hayatu-Deen now threaten to deepen divisions within the party even before the official declaration of its presidential candidate.