Former Vice President has emerged as the presidential candidate of the for the 2027 general election after defeating former Minister of Transportation and ex-banker in the party’s presidential primary.
The outcome of the election was announced on Wednesday night by the ADC following the conclusion of voting by party members nationwide.
According to the party, Atiku secured a commanding victory with 1,855,787 votes, while Amaechi polled 509,397 votes and Hayatu-Deen received 180,903 votes.
In its statement, the party declared: “Atiku defeats Amaechi, Hayatu-Deen to secure ADC presidential ticket.”
The ADC said a total of 2,546,457 votes were cast during the exercise, which involved 3,113,599 registered party members participating through the party’s direct primary system.
The results showed Atiku defeated Amaechi by 1,346,390 votes and led Hayatu-Deen by 1,674,884 votes, reinforcing his dominance in the contest.
The primary election began on May 25, 2026, with accredited party members across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory taking part in the voting process.
Before the election, some stakeholders within the party had pushed for a consensus arrangement to prevent internal divisions ahead of the 2027 polls. However, the leading aspirants reportedly refused to step down for one another, leading the party to proceed with a competitive primary.
Although party leaders initially explored a consensus option, the ADC eventually adopted the direct primary method, stating that the decision aligned with the Electoral Act 2026 and the party’s commitment to internal democracy.
Atiku’s emergence is expected to influence the political landscape ahead of the 2027 presidential election as opposition parties intensify efforts to challenge the ruling party.
Meanwhile, Amaechi and Hayatu-Deen reportedly raised concerns over alleged irregularities in the process and boycotted the announcement of the final results.
