Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has taken an early lead in the presidential primary election of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), emerging victorious in five states as delegates continue voting to determine the party’s candidate for the 2027 presidential election.
The contest, which has drawn significant political attention ahead of the next general election, features Atiku, former Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi, and economist Mohammed Hayatu-Deen.
Although the ADC leadership has yet to officially announce the final outcome of the exercise, preliminary results from several states indicate that Atiku is maintaining a strong lead in the early stages of vote collation.
The former vice president reportedly secured victories in Gombe, Abia, Ebonyi, Sokoto, and Zamfara states, strengthening his chances of clinching the party’s presidential ticket if the trend persists.
In Gombe State, Returning Officer Prof. David Agbu announced that Atiku polled 139,334 votes, while Amaechi scored 1,150 votes and Hayatu-Deen received 464 votes.
In Abia State, Atiku also topped the poll with 25,153 votes, defeating Amaechi, who secured 18,339 votes, while Hayatu-Deen garnered 3,264 votes.
The trend continued in Ebonyi State, where ADC National Vice Chairman (Diaspora), Fred Onwe, announced the result.
He said, “Atiku Abubakar scored 15,300 votes, while Rotimi Amaechi polled 2,200 votes and Mohammed Hayatu-Deen secured 200 votes.”
In Sokoto State, Atiku widened the gap with 68,823 votes, while Amaechi received 292 votes and Hayatu-Deen polled 319 votes.
Similarly, results from Zamfara State showed Atiku securing 60,500 votes, with Hayatu-Deen polling 436 votes and Amaechi receiving 191 votes.
The ongoing primary is widely viewed as a critical moment for the ADC amid growing political realignments ahead of the 2027 elections. Atiku, who previously contested the presidency under the Peoples Democratic Party in 2019 and 2023, remains a prominent opposition figure.
Amaechi, a former governor of Rivers State and ex-Minister of Transportation, entered the race with promises of institutional reforms and stronger internal democracy within the party. Hayatu-Deen, on his part, campaigned on economic reforms driven by private sector participation.
Political analysts believe the outcome of the ADC primary could influence coalition-building efforts among opposition parties seeking to challenge the ruling party in the next presidential election.
Party officials are expected to release the final collated results after votes from the remaining states and the Federal Capital Territory are concluded.
