Atiku Meets Amaechi as ADC Primary Crisis Deepens

Pat Stevens/

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar on Thursday visited former Rivers State governor and ex-Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, at his Abuja residence, in a move likely to fuel fresh political speculation following the disputed African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential primary.

The visit came just hours after Amaechi rejected the outcome of the ADC presidential primary election, alleging widespread irregularities and voter disenfranchisement during the exercise.

Atiku, who was officially declared winner of the primary after defeating Amaechi and businessman, Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, described the meeting as an opportunity for “deep and honest conversations” about Nigeria’s worsening economic and security challenges.

In a post shared on X, Atiku said the discussions focused on “the troubling state of our nation, the growing economic pain, insecurity, and the urgent responsibility on patriotic Nigerians to continue engaging in the search for solutions that can rescue our country from drift and despair”.

The meeting is being interpreted by political observers as a significant attempt to ease tensions within the ADC after the fiercely contested primary threatened to deepen cracks inside the opposition coalition ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Amaechi had publicly rejected the presidential primary results, describing them as “concocted” and insisting that the process failed to meet standards of transparency and fairness earlier promised by the party leadership.

The former Rivers governor alleged that many party members were disenfranchised during the nationwide direct primary conducted across Nigeria’s wards under the Option A4 voting system.

The dispute triggered confusion in some states, including Ebonyi, where rival factions of the ADC reportedly announced separate victories for Atiku and Amaechi, further exposing internal divisions within the party.

The ADC primary had already been overshadowed by disagreements over attempts to produce a consensus candidate among Atiku, Amaechi and Hayatu-Deen before voting eventually proceeded nationwide.

The latest tensions have raised concerns about the stability of the broader opposition alliance seeking to challenge President Bola Tinubu in 2027, particularly after earlier setbacks involving internal disputes and the exit of key political figures from the coalition.

Despite the political undertones, Atiku’s post also struck a lighter tone as he revealed that he congratulated Amaechi on his birthday and joked about Arsenal’s recent success.

“I also felicitated with him on the occasion of his birthday yesterday and teased that Arsenal’s historic triumph could not have arrived at a better time,” Atiku wrote.

“Chief Amaechi, a thoroughly well-loaded Gunner, took the banter in very good spirits.”

Atiku further joked that Amaechi had apologised for not preparing Fisherman Soup during the visit, promising instead that the traditional Rivers delicacy would be served during a future meeting.

“In true Rivers hospitality, he apologised for not having enough time to prepare Fisherman Soup, a delicacy I have now been promised on our return for the second leg,” he added.

The meeting is expected to intensify discussions over whether the ADC leadership can successfully reconcile aggrieved factions and maintain opposition unity ahead of what is already shaping up to be a fiercely contested 2027 presidential race.