Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has emerged as the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) ahead of the 2027 general election after defeating former Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi and former banker Mohammed Hayatu-Deen in the party’s presidential primary.
The outcome of the primary election was announced late Wednesday night at the Congress Hall of Transcorp Hilton Abuja during the official collation of results monitored by journalists.
Following the declaration, the ADC leadership led by Senator David Mark formally presented the party’s flag to Atiku Abubakar as its standard-bearer for the 2027 presidential election.
According to the official figures announced by the party, Atiku secured a total of 1,846,370 votes to emerge victorious in the contest.
Rotimi Amaechi polled 504,117 votes, while Mohammed Hayatu-Deen secured 177,120 votes.
The total number of votes cast during the primary stood at 2,546,457, while the ADC disclosed that the total party membership eligible for the exercise was 3,113,599.
A breakdown of the results showed that Atiku defeated Amaechi by a margin of 1,342,253 votes and also led Hayatu-Deen by 1,669,250 votes.
Amaechi, however, finished ahead of Hayatu-Deen by 327,003 votes.
The ADC presidential primary process commenced on Monday, May 25, 2026, with party members participating across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
The party adopted the direct primary method after all three aspirants reportedly rejected proposals for a consensus arrangement.
An affirmation process had initially been considered before the party eventually opted for direct primaries in compliance with provisions of the Electoral Act 2026.
Speaking shortly after his emergence, Atiku called on aggrieved party members and fellow aspirants to put aside differences and work together for the future of the party and the country.
“I therefore appeal to all those who feel aggrieved to come back to our party and close ranks with the rest of us,” he said.
The former vice president also specifically appealed to Amaechi and Hayatu-Deen to join him in what he described as a broader national mission.
“In particular, I invite Chief Rotimi Amaechi and Alhaji Muhammad Hayatu-Deen to join me in this fight to save our democracy and our country,” Atiku stated.
He stressed that the primary contest should not be viewed as a battle that produced winners and losers within the party.
“As I said previously, there are no winners and no losers. Our people look up to us for leadership and I am ready to lead,” he said.
Atiku further pledged to work closely with all stakeholders within the party to strengthen the ADC ahead of the 2027 elections.
“I shall work with you all to continue to build our party. I will campaign with you and if Nigeria’s leaders demand it, govern with you to build a country that works for all of us,” he added.
Despite the official declaration, both Amaechi and Hayatu-Deen reportedly rejected the outcome of the primaries earlier, alleging manipulation and irregularities in the voting process.
Hayatu-Deen was said to have declined participation in the final announcement of results.
Earlier in his address, Atiku expressed appreciation to party leaders, delegates, and members for the confidence reposed in him.
He stated that the ADC had demonstrated internal democracy despite what he described as increasing pressure on opposition politics in the country.
“We constructed that while democracy is being strangled and squashed by the ruling party… democracy is alive and well in the African Democratic Congress,” he stated.
Atiku also alleged that opposition politicians and members were facing intimidation and harassment, warning against external interference in party affairs.
He maintained that unity remained critical for the ADC if it hoped to challenge the ruling party in the next general election.
“No one was defeated. No one. We are one party, and we all need to recognise the fierce urgency of the moment,” he said.
The former vice president further declared that the party’s primary objective must now shift toward winning the 2027 election and addressing Nigeria’s challenges.
“We have to prepare and play hard to win the next general elections in order to begin the difficult process of rescuing our country and its long-suffering people,” he said.
Atiku also unveiled some of the policy priorities he intends to pursue if elected president.
He promised reforms in critical sectors including security, education, healthcare, and the economy.
On education, he expressed concern over the large number of out-of-school children in Nigeria and pledged to implement free and compulsory basic education.
He also criticised the country’s current economic situation, arguing that rising poverty, borrowing, and subsidy-related policies had worsened hardship for Nigerians.
In the healthcare sector, Atiku promised to strengthen primary healthcare systems and improve medical infrastructure to reduce dependence on foreign medical treatment.
He added that the ADC would move into the next phase of political mobilisation under what he described as a “renewed action” agenda ahead of the 2027 general election.
