Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has officially emerged as the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) ahead of the 2027 general elections, setting the stage for what will become his fourth appearance on Nigeria’s presidential ballot.
Atiku secured a landslide victory during the ADC presidential primary after polling 1,846,370 votes to defeat former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, and economist Mohammed Hayatu-Deen.
According to the final results announced by the party’s electoral committee in Abuja, Amaechi scored 504,117 votes, while Hayatu-Deen secured 177,120 votes.
The primary election result was declared after a two-day collation exercise involving delegates from across the country.
However, the outcome has already sparked controversy, as both Amaechi and Hayatu-Deen reportedly rejected the results and questioned the credibility of the process.
Despite the dispute, Atiku’s emergence marks another major chapter in his long political journey.
The former vice president has now made seven attempts to become Nigeria’s president, including four appearances as a presidential candidate.
He previously contested the presidency under the Action Congress in 2007 and later flew the flag of the Peoples Democratic Party in the 2019 and 2023 elections.
Atiku had also contested several party primaries in previous years before finally securing tickets in multiple election cycles.
During his acceptance speech, Atiku described his victory as a “humbling honour” and praised the ADC for conducting what he called a transparent democratic process.
He said the opposition coalition within the ADC was formed to rescue Nigeria’s democracy and challenge what he described as increasing intimidation of opposition figures under the ruling APC government.
“At this moment, virtually all opposition political parties are battling leadership crises allegedly engineered by the APC government,” Atiku alleged.
The former vice president also accused the Federal Government of using anti-corruption agencies and security institutions to allegedly target opposition politicians.
“Once a politician joins the APC, the harassment stops,” he claimed.
Atiku further criticised the continued detention of former Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufai, describing it as political persecution and abuse of power.
Speaking on his plans for Nigeria, the ADC candidate promised to prioritise security, economic reforms, healthcare, education and job creation if elected president in 2027.
He pledged to strengthen Nigeria’s security architecture, improve investor confidence and tackle poverty across the country.
Atiku also appealed to his rivals, Rotimi Amaechi and Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, to unite with him for the bigger goal of defeating the ruling party in the next election.
“There are no winners and losers here,” he said.
Meanwhile, ADC National Chairman and former Senate President, David Mark, appealed to aggrieved aspirants to remain committed to the party despite complaints surrounding the primaries.
Mark admitted there were some shortcomings during the exercise but insisted the process remained credible and democratic.
“We allowed a free contest. We allowed our members across Nigeria to make their choice,” he stated.
The ADC chairman further described the party as a credible alternative capable of changing Nigeria’s political direction ahead of 2027.
Political observers believe Atiku’s emergence could significantly reshape opposition politics as preparations for the next general election intensify.
Source: ADC presidential primary results and statements from party officials in Abuja.
