The Presidential aspirant of African Democratic Congress (ADC) Rotimi Amaechi has rejected the presidential primary of the party, arguing that the process was full of errors with widespread voter disenfranchisement and electoral malpractice during the exercise.
Penpushing reports that Amaechi in a statement on his X handle after the primaries on Tuesday, described the results announced by the party as concocted and insisted he would not accept an outcome that failed to reflect fairness and transparency.
“Following reports of widespread voter disenfranchisement in most parts of the country during the African Democratic Congress (ADC) Presidential Primaries yesterday, I unequivocally reject the concocted results being announced’, he wrote.
Penpushing further reports that the former Minister of Transport emphasised that he had earlier made it clear that he would only accept the outcome of the primaries if the process was free, fair and transparent.
“I had initially stated that I would only accept the outcome of the primaries if the process was free, fair, and transparent, and I stand by my word. I will not accept results from a process that does not reflect the values that the ADC had pledged to uphold, to rescue Nigerians from the impunity and gross mismanagement that our country is currently facing in the hands of the ruling party’, he said.
Penpushing also reports that Amaechi accused the party leadership of betraying the ideals the African Democratic Congress (ADC) claimed to represent in its quest to provide an alternative platform for Nigerians.
The former Governor of Rivers state pointed out that a large percentage of party members were allegedly denied the opportunity to vote during the exercise, adding that about eighty per cent of members of the party were not allowed to participate.
“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. Then what makes us different from the others?” he queried.
Penpushing reports that Amaechi declared that the African Democratic Congress (ADC) was created to amplify the voices of ordinary Nigerians and provide a platform built on fairness and inclusion.
“The whole idea of the ADC was to give the Nigerian people a platform, to amplify the voices of the downtrodden, and make Nigeria a better place for everyone irrespective of backgrounds, ethnicity, or religion,” he said.
Penpushing further reports that Amaechi accused the party of engaging in the same electoral malpractices it had previously condemned in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
“A party that criticises the ruling APC and INEC for vote buying, rigging and writing of results, cannot be engaged in vote buying, writing of results, and other electoral malpractices that lead to the disenfranchisement of voters who are party members. This is not acceptable,” he stated.
Penpushing also reports that the party on Monday conducted a nationwide direct primary to pick its candidate for the 2027 presidential election, with former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, former Managing Director of the defunct FSB International Bank, Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, and Amaechi as the main contenders.
Meanwhile, the party’s national leadership is yet to formally announce the final collated results from the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory(FCT), however, figures obtained from some states showed Atiku maintaining a commanding lead in the early rounds of counting, with Amaechi trailing in second place, while Hayatu-Deen occupying third position.
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