FORMER Vice President Atiku Abubakar has emerged as the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) following the party’s presidential primary election ahead of the 2027 general election.
News Point Nigeria reports that Atiku secured a total of 1,846,370 votes to defeat his closest rival and former Rivers State governor, Rotimi Amaechi, who polled 504,117 votes.
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Businessman Mohammed Hayatu-Deen came third in the contest with 177,120 votes.
The outcome of the primary officially positions Atiku as the flagbearer of the ADC for the 2027 presidential election in what political observers describe as a major development in the opposition landscape.
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In his acceptance speech shortly after the announcement of the results, Atiku commended the party for what he described as its commitment to democratic principles and internal party democracy.
The former Vice President said the conduct of the exercise demonstrated that democracy remains alive within the ADC despite what he described as mounting pressure on opposition politics in the country.
“We demonstrated that while democracy is being strangled and squashed by its ruling party and its operatives, democracy is alive and well in the African Democratic Congress,” Atiku stated.
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He also expressed concern over the challenges confronting opposition parties and political leaders across the country, insisting that democratic values must be protected and strengthened.
The ADC presidential primary had attracted significant national attention following the participation of prominent political figures, including Amaechi and Hayatu-Deen.
