ABUJA:  The African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential primary election has descended into sharp internal controversy following vocal protests from key contenders, even as former Vice President Atiku Abubakar established a commanding lead in early result collation for the 2027 ticket.

On Tuesday, former Rivers State Governor and presidential aspirant Rotimi Amaechi formally rejected the ongoing collation, characterizing the emerging results from across the country as "concocted." His objection followed closely on the heels of a boycott by fellow aspirant and economist Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, who withdrew from the final declaration ceremony citing widespread irregularities.

Allegations of Electoral Malpractice

In a statement released via his verified X handle, Amaechi, a former Minister of Transportation, alleged that widespread voter disenfranchisement heavily compromised Monday's nationwide direct primary, which spanned the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

"I had initially stated that I will only accept the outcome of the primaries if the process was free, fair, and transparent, and I stand by my word," Amaechi stated. "There’s no way that about eighty per cent of members of the party were not allowed to vote, and you expect me to accept such results."

Amaechi warned that the alleged irregularities directly undermine the founding principles of the ADC, which has historically positioned itself as a transparent, credible alternative to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Hours prior to Amaechi's statement, Hayatu-Deen announced his decision to bypass the collation event at the Transcorp Hilton in Abuja. Writing on his verified X account, Hayatu-Deen expressed deep concern over "reports from across the country of widespread vote rigging," noting that he intended to seek legal and strategic counsel on his next steps.

Collation Data Shows Overwhelming Lead for Atiku

Despite the public pushback, party officials continued the collation process under the supervision of representatives from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Initial data from 24 states and the FCT indicated that Atiku had secured victories in 22 states and the capital, frequently winning by wide margins.

Note: Amaechi secured outright victories in Akwa Ibom and Ebonyi states, while Atiku maintained a dominant lead across all other early-reporting zones.

Party Leadership Calls for Calm

Responding to the brewing crisis on Channels Television's Politics Today, the ADC National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, urged aggrieved aspirants to utilize internal party mechanisms to address their complaints rather than litigating them in the media.

Abdullahi emphasized that because the official collation process was still underway, the party could neither validate nor dismiss the claims of fraud.

"We currently do not have sufficient evidence to either support or dismiss those claims," Abdullahi stated. "Since the results are still being collated, we have not observed any clear pattern that would substantiate such allegations."

Addressing rumors regarding a parallel faction within the organization, Abdullahi dismissed concerns over the party's structural integrity, noting that INEC officially recognizes the current National Working Committee. He confirmed that electoral officials have monitored every stage of the process, from local congresses to the presidential primary, validating the legitimacy of the exercise.

The event at the Transcorp Hilton was attended by prominent party stakeholders, including ADC National Chairman Senator David Mark, Senator Tunde Ogbeha, and former Sports Minister Solomon Dalung. The unfolding friction presents a significant logistical and public relations challenge for the ADC as it attempts to solidify its standing as a major opposition force ahead of the 2027 general elections.