A combined photo of Atiku Abubakar, Rotimi Amaechi and Mohamned Hayatudeen
By Victory Oghene
Former vice president, Atiku Abubakar is currently in a state of uncertainty as former minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi and a former chairman of the Nigeria Economic Summit Group,
Mohammed Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, have rejected results so far declared by the African Democratic Congress ADC presidential primaries.
Amaechi described the exercise as deeply flawed and lacking credibility.
In a strongly worded statement shared on his X handle on Tuesday, Amaechi alleged widespread voter disenfranchisement, vote manipulation, and other irregularities during the primary election process.
“Following reports of widespread voter disenfranchisement in most parts of the country during the African Democratic Congress (ADC) Presidential Primaries yesterday, I unequivocally reject the concocted results being announced,” he declared.
The former Rivers State governor maintained that he had earlier made it clear that he would only accept the outcome of the exercise if it was conducted in a free, fair, and transparent manner.
“I had initially stated that I would only accept the outcome of the primaries if the process was free, fair, and transparent, and I stand by my word,” he said.
Amaechi further accused the ADC leadership of betraying the very ideals upon which the party was founded, noting that the platform was created to offer Nigerians a credible alternative built on fairness, accountability, and inclusion.
“I will not accept results from a process that does not reflect the values that the ADC had pledged to uphold, to rescue Nigerians from the impunity and gross mismanagement that our country is currently facing in the hands of the ruling party,” he added.
According to him, a significant number of party members across the country were denied the opportunity to participate in the voting process.
“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. Then what makes us different from the others?” Amaechi queried.
He stressed that the ADC was envisioned as a platform that would amplify the voices of ordinary Nigerians regardless of ethnic, religious, or social background.
“The whole idea of the ADC was to give the Nigerian people a platform, to amplify the voices of the downtrodden, and make Nigeria a better place for everyone irrespective of backgrounds, ethnicity, or religion,” he stated.
Amaechi also accused the party of engaging in the same electoral malpractices it had previously condemned in the ruling All Progressives Congress and the 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 that lead to the disenfranchisement of voters who are party members. This is not acceptable,” he said.
While Hayatu-Deen stated that he would not attend the official announcement of the party’s presidential primary results scheduled for Tuesday.
In a statement posted on his X handle, Hayatu-Deen expressed concerns over the integrity of the electoral process.
“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 wrote.
Although the ADC leadership is yet to officially announce the final collated results from the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, early figures reportedly showed lformer Vice-President Atiku Abubakar leading the race, while Amaechi trailed behind and economist Mohammed Hayatu-Deen occupied third position.
