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Former vice president Atiku Abubakar has accepted the African Democratic Congress’s presidential nomination, warning that “any further attempt to interfere in the affairs of the party by the Presidency, INEC and judiciary will be fiercely resisted.”
In a lengthy statement posted on X after his victory, Atiku said the ADC had shown that democracy remains alive in Nigeria despite the ruling party’s efforts to crush it.
“I wish to express my profound appreciation for the privilege which you have bestowed on me, of leading our great party, the African Democratic Congress, into the next elections as its Presidential Candidate. I am truly humbled and excited by this singular honour,” Atiku said.
“We demonstrated that while democracy is being strangled and squashed by the ruling party and its oppressive and anti-democratic government, democracy is alive and well in the African Democratic Congress.
“In our party, members are allowed to express their views, to have ambitions and to contest for elective positions in a free, fair and transparent process.
Atiku accused the government of engineering leadership crises in opposition parties and harassing political rivals, citing the detention of former Kaduna governor Nasir El-Rufai.
“He has been in detention for three months despite court orders granting him bail. He has been denied the right to celebrate two important religious holidays with his family in addition to being denied the opportunity to be by his mother’s side as she took her last breath,” Atiku wrote.
“All because he is a leading opposition figure! This kind of cruelty must stop.”
He alleged that under the current government, “once a person joins the APC, the harassment ceases and the charges against them magically disappear. This abuse of power must stop.”
Atiku warned the government against further meddling in the affairs of opposition parties.
“Let me warn that any further attempt to interfere in the affairs of the party by the Presidency, INEC and judiciary will be fiercely resisted. Enough is enough,” he said.
He described the country as facing “economic disaster, catastrophic insecurity, extreme nepotism, political intolerance and the drive towards a one-party state by the current government and its party.”
Atiku appealed to his defeated primary opponents, former transportation minister Rotimi Amaechi and businessman Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, to join him in what he called the fight to save Nigeria’s democracy.
“I, therefore, appeal to all those who feel aggrieved to come back to our party and close ranks with the rest of us. I appeal to all those who contested for various positions in our primaries to close ranks with us,” he said.
“In particular, I invite Chief Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi and Alhaji Mohammed Hayatu-Deen to join me in this fight to save our democracy and our country.
“As I said previously, there are no winners and no losers. Our people look up to us for leadership. I am ready to lead. I shall work with you all to continue to build our party. I will campaign with you and, if Nigerians give us the mandate, govern with you to build a country that works for all.”
Both Amaechi and Hayatu-Deen have rejected the primary results, alleging irregularities, but Atiku stated that the Primary Elections Committee had organised “peaceful, free, fair and transparent primaries”.
I REJECT THE CONCOCTED RESULTS OF THE ADC PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARIES
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…
— Chibuike R. Amaechi (@ChibuikeAmaechi) May 26, 2026
I will not be attending the announcement of the ADC Presidential Election Results today. I am concerned by reports from across the country of widespread vote rigging, some of which I myself observed, and will therefore be taking advice on my next steps.
— Mohammed Hayatu-Deen (@Mohayatudeen) May 26, 2026
Atiku secured the ADC presidential ticket after polling 1,846,370 votes, defeating Amaechi, who came second with 504,117 votes, and Hayatu-Deen, who came third with 177,120 votes.
The former vice president, who previously contested the presidency under the Peoples Democratic Party in 2019 and 2023, will now represent the ADC in the January 2027 presidential election.
“I am ready to lead,” Atiku said.
“I shall work with you all to continue to build our party. I will campaign with you and, if Nigerians give us the mandate, govern with you to build a country that works for all.”
I wish to express my profound appreciation for the privilege, which you have bestowed on me, of leading our great party, the African Democratic Congress, into the next elections as its Presidential Candidate. I am truly humbled and excited by this singular honour.
We… pic.twitter.com/XHt9wcxaQr
— Atiku Abubakar (@atiku) May 27, 2026
