Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has emerged victorious in the presidential primary election of the African Democratic Congress held in Edo State.
Atiku defeated former Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi and businessman Muhammed Hayatu-Deen to clinch the party’s ticket in the state exercise.
Announcing the result at the party secretariat in Benin City, the Chairman and Returning Officer of the party’s Primary Election Committee in the state, Mabel Adimkwu, said Atiku secured 17,729 votes to emerge winner of the contest.
According to the results announced, Amaechi polled 10,116 votes, while Hayatu-Deen recorded 1,906 votes.
Adimkwu explained that the presidential primary election was conducted on May 25, 2026, across the state, with a total of 32,263 registered voters drawn from the voter register of the Independent National Electoral Commission.
She added that accreditation took place across the 192 wards spread across the 18 local government areas of the state.
“Party members were enthusiastic about the primaries and the orderliness in which the election was conducted allowed members to vote freely. The whole process was peaceful,” she said.
“His Excellency, Atiku Abubakar, having scored the highest number of votes, is hereby declared the winner of the Edo State presidential primaries,” she declared.
Reacting to the outcome of the exercise, the Deputy State Chairman of the party, Sylvester Ewanehi, praised participants and members of the electoral committee, describing the process as peaceful, fair and transparent.
He urged party stakeholders and supporters to accept the outcome in unity and continue working together ahead of the 2027 general elections.
“The members of the committee have done very well in releasing the results as it were,” he said.
What You Should Know
The African Democratic Congress has become one of the major opposition platforms ahead of the 2027 general elections, attracting several high-profile politicians from different parties.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Rotimi Amaechi are among the prominent figures linked with the party’s growing coalition movement.
The Edo State presidential primary adds to the ongoing internal contests across states as political parties intensify preparations for 2027.
Political observers believe the ADC’s emerging alliances could significantly reshape Nigeria’s opposition landscape, especially amid increasing defections, coalition talks and dissatisfaction with the country’s current political and economic direction.
