The presidential primary of the African Democratic Congress has descended into controversy, with aspirants Rotimi Amaechi and Mohammed Hayatu-Deen rejecting the outcome over alleged irregularities and voter disenfranchisement.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar emerged with a commanding lead after results from several states were collated nationwide.
Before the final declaration by the Presidential Election Committee chaired by Chief Ikechi Emenike, Amaechi described the exercise as fraudulent, insisting the announced figures could not be accepted.
In a statement shared on his X account, the former Rivers governor said the process failed to meet the standards of transparency and fairness promised by the party.
“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 would only accept the outcome if the exercise was free, fair and transparent.
Amaechi alleged that a large number of party members were prevented from voting.
“There’s no way that about eighty per cent of members of the party were not allowed to vote, and you expect me to accept such results,” he said.
He also accused the ADC of engaging in the same practices it had previously condemned in the ruling All Progressives Congress and Independent National Electoral Commission.
“A party that criticises the ruling APC and INEC for vote buying, rigging and writing of results cannot be engaged in vote buying, writing of results and other electoral malpractices,” he added.
Hayatu-Deen also rejected the process and announced that he would not participate in the final collation and declaration of results.
“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.
Despite the controversy, Atiku maintained a strong lead across most of the states announced.
In Kebbi State, Atiku polled 65,533 votes against Amaechi’s 5,931 and Hayatu-Deen’s 454 votes. In Anambra State, he secured 58,566 votes, while Amaechi and Hayatu-Deen scored 17,085 and 7,861 votes respectively.
The former vice president also recorded victories in Abia, Ekiti, Ondo, Gombe, Oyo, Imo, Yobe, Nasarawa, Taraba, Kano, Adamawa, Zamfara and Borno states.
One of the closest contests came in Benue State, where Atiku polled 55,177 votes against Amaechi’s 30,881 votes, while Hayatu-Deen secured 22,141 votes.
Amaechi’s only declared victory so far came from Akwa Ibom State, where he polled 20,343 votes to defeat Atiku, who secured 17,623 votes.
As of late Saturday night, results from 28 states had been collated, with the committee announcing that results from the remaining eight states would be concluded after the Eid al-Adha celebrations.
