Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress for the 2027 general election, on Thursday met with his major rival in the party’s presidential primary, Rotimi Amaechi.
The meeting comes days after Atiku emerged winner of the ADC presidential primary, defeating Amaechi and businessman Mohammed Hayatu-Deen to secure the party’s presidential ticket.
Amaechi had earlier rejected the outcome of the primary election, alleging widespread irregularities and voter disenfranchisement during the exercise.
The former Rivers State governor insisted that the process failed to meet the standards of fairness and transparency expected from the party.
However, Atiku, while delivering his acceptance speech after the primary, appealed to Amaechi and other aggrieved party members to close ranks and unite ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
Although details of Thursday’s meeting were still unclear at the time of filing this report, neither Atiku nor Amaechi publicly addressed journalists after the talks.
Sources within the party, however, indicated that the meeting may be connected to ongoing reconciliation efforts aimed at uniting stakeholders within the ADC following the contentious primary election.
Party insiders said Atiku was believed to be making moves to secure Amaechi’s support and stabilise the party ahead of the 2027 campaign season.
The ADC presidential primary had generated controversy after Amaechi openly rejected the announced results, describing them as “concocted” and accusing the party leadership of engaging in practices similar to those it had criticised in other political parties.
Despite the dispute, Atiku had maintained that there were “no winners and no losers” after the primary, urging all aspirants and supporters to work together in what he described as a broader mission to rescue Nigeria.
The former vice president also specifically appealed to Amaechi and Hayatu-Deen to join him in building a united opposition front ahead of the next general election.
What You Should Know
The African Democratic Congress presidential primary has triggered internal tensions within the party following allegations of irregularities raised by Rotimi Amaechi and Mohammed Hayatu-Deen.
Atiku Abubakar’s emergence as the party’s flagbearer is seen as a major development in the evolving opposition coalition ahead of the 2027 elections.
The meeting between Atiku and Amaechi signals possible reconciliation efforts within the ADC as the party seeks to avoid internal divisions that could weaken its chances against the ruling APC.
Political analysts believe opposition unity may become a crucial factor in shaping the dynamics of the 2027 presidential contest.
