May 26, 2026
- Former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, defeated Atiku Abubakar and Muhammad Hayatuddeen in the ADC presidential primary held across Ebonyi State.
- Amaechi secured 6,050 votes in the exercise conducted through a direct primary system across 171 political wards.
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential primary in Ebonyi State ended with Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi emerging as the party’s preferred presidential flag bearer for the 2027 general election in the state.
Announcing the result, the Returning Officer and Coordinator of Electoral Matters for the exercise, Bassey Edogi Imoke, said the election was conducted peacefully and in an orderly manner across the state.
According to the official results, Amaechi polled 6,050 votes to finish ahead of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who secured 1,210 votes, while Muhammad Hayatuddeen scored 4,840 votes.
Imoke explained that the exercise adopted a direct primary method across all 171 political wards in Ebonyi State. He disclosed that 12,641 delegates were registered for the election, while 12,100 delegates were accredited and participated in the process.
“Total registered delegates in Ebonyi State were 12,641, while accredited delegates were 12,100. Total valid votes stood at 12,100,” he said.
“Atiku Abubakar scored 1,210 votes, Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi scored 6,050 votes, while Muhammad Hayatuddeen scored 4,840 votes,” he added.
“At the end of the election, His Excellency Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi, having scored the highest number of votes cast, is hereby returned elected as the preferred flag bearer of the African Democratic Congress in Ebonyi State for the 2027 general election,” he declared.
Earlier, the Ebonyi State Chairman of the ADC, Dr Mrs Jennifer Adibe-Nwafor, stated that the exercise began peacefully across the state without reports of violence or irregularities. She noted that the direct primary system across wards marked a shift from the party’s previous delegate-based method held at a single venue.
“We have three presidential aspirants — Atiku Abubakar, Rotimi Amaechi and Hayatuddeen Mohammed — and members are expected to decide the best among them through a secret ballot process.
“This is the first time the exercise is being conducted across all ADC states simultaneously, and I believe the essence is to ensure peace and inclusiveness,” she said.
Reacting to the outcome, Adibe-Nwafor congratulated Amaechi on his victory and praised party members for their conduct throughout the election.
“I want to appreciate members of the ADC in Ebonyi State for the way and manner they conducted themselves and also congratulate His Excellency Rotimi Amaechi for winning convincingly.
“No delegate was forced to vote for any aspirant. The election was free, fair and credible, while all aspirants were given a level playing ground,” she stated.
Chairman of the Primary Election Committee, Paschal Okafor, also described the exercise as peaceful, transparent, and credible.
“It was fair, free and credible. Every aspirant was given a fair opportunity, and I congratulate ADC members for the peaceful atmosphere that characterised the election,” Okafor said.
