Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has emerged as the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) ahead of the 2027 general election, following a decisive victory over former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, and former banker, Mohammed Hayatu-Deen.
The result of the highly contested primary election was announced on Wednesday night in a statement issued by the party after the conclusion of voting by accredited members across the country.
According to the ADC, Atiku secured a landslide victory with a total of 1,855,787 votes, defeating Amaechi, who polled 509,397 votes, while Hayatu-Deen came third with 180,903 votes.
The party stated:
“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: 2,546,457. Total party membership: 3,113,599. Congratulations to Waziri Atiku.”
A breakdown of the results shows that Atiku won by a margin of 1,346,390 votes over Amaechi and 1,674,884 votes ahead of Hayatu-Deen, reflecting a dominant performance in the contest.
The ADC presidential primary began on Monday, May 25, 2026, with accredited delegates from the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory participating through the direct primary system adopted by the party leadership.
Party officials said the process was conducted in line with internal democratic procedures, despite earlier debates within the party over whether to adopt a consensus arrangement to avoid internal divisions ahead of the 2027 elections.
However, the three major contenders reportedly refused calls to step down for one another, leading the party to proceed with a full primary election.
The ADC maintained that the direct primary approach aligns with provisions of the Electoral Act 2026 and its commitment to internal democracy.
Atiku’s victory is expected to reshape opposition politics ahead of the 2027 general election as parties intensify preparations to challenge the ruling party at the federal level.
Meanwhile, reports indicate that Rotimi Amaechi and Mohammed Hayatu-Deen had earlier raised concerns over the credibility of the process and boycotted the official announcement of results.
