Following his victory in the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential primary, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar paid a visit to the former Governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi, at his Abuja residence on Thursday.
Atiku was accompanied by a delegation of high-ranking party leaders, including the former Governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal, and the former National Chairman of the ADC, Ralph Nwosu. The closed-door meeting follows intense political activity surrounding the party’s just-concluded primary election ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Primary Election Results and Declaration
Atiku emerged as the ADC’s presidential standard-bearer on Wednesday night at the Congress Hall of the Transcorp Hilton in Abuja. The election utilized a direct primary method after the three main contenders declined proposals for a consensus candidate.
According to the official figures released by the party leadership, under the supervision of former Senate President David Mark, the vote breakdown was as follows:
| Candidate | Votes Received |
| Atiku Abubakar | 1,846,370 |
| Rotimi Amaechi | 504,117 |
| Mohammed Hayatu-Deen | 177,120 |
Following the declaration of the results, David Mark officially presented the ADC flag to Atiku as the party's nominee.
Atiku Calls for Party Unity
In his acceptance speech, Atiku emphasized reconciliation, urging internal rivals and dissatisfied party members to unite behind the ADC's vision for the 2027 elections.
"I therefore appeal to all those who feel aggrieved to come back to our party and close ranks with the rest of us. In particular, I invite Chief Rotimi Amaechi and Alhaji Muhammad Hayatu-Deen to join me in this fight to save our democracy and our country."
Atiku Abubakar, ADC Presidential Candidate
Atiku maintained that the primary outcome should not cause internal divisions, stating that "there are no winners and no losers." He pledged to collaborate closely with all party stakeholders throughout the upcoming campaign and potential governance.
Contestation and Outstanding Disagreements
Despite the calls for unity, both Rotimi Amaechi and Mohammed Hayatu-Deen have reportedly rejected the primary outcomes, citing alleged irregularities in the voting process. Reflecting his grievances, Hayatu-Deen boycotted the official announcement of the results on Wednesday night.
As of the time of reporting, the specific details and outcomes of the closed-door discussions between Atiku and Amaechi on Thursday have not been made public.