Trending 
Former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, has dismissed claims that he was offered the vice-presidential ticket of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), insisting that no such arrangement was ever made.
Amaechi, who participated in the ADC 2027 presidential primary alongside Atiku Abubakar and Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, finished second in the contest with 504,117 votes. Atiku emerged as the winner with 1,846,370 votes, while Hayatu-Deen scored 177,120 votes.
In a statement on Tuesday, he had rejected the outcome of the primary, alleging that the process was marred by irregularities and disenfranchisement, arguing that the exercise did not reflect the democratic values the party claimed to uphold.
Speaking in an interview with media personality Chude Jideonwo on Thursday, Amaechi said his position followed consultations with stakeholders and other aspirants within the party.
He explained that he met with the ADC National Chairman, David Mark, but maintained that discussions during the meeting did not include any offer or consideration of a vice-presidential position.
Amaechi also dismissed suggestions that he left the meeting over such an offer, insisting that his interaction with the party leadership was cordial and unrelated to any VP discussion.
He further stated that no one had ever approached him about becoming a running mate, adding that those familiar with him understood how he would respond to such an offer.
“Before the statement was made, there were consultations. We agreed that we should issue the statement. In fact, the final conclusion was between me and Hayatu-Deen,” he said.
“I went to see the national chairman of ADC. After our discussion, he walked me to the exit door, I shook his hands and I left. We discussed something different from what they wrote about.
“But people said I stormed out after he told me to run for VP. But I am not joking; nobody has ever told me to be vice-president because they know my worth and what will be my reaction,” he added.
The controversy follows ongoing disputes over the ADC presidential primary, which Hayatu-Deen has also rejected, alleging irregularities in the process.
Although Atiku later met Amaechi on Thursday in efforts to ease tensions within the party, the former vice president said the meeting focused on broader discussions about “rescuing Nigeria” and promoting unity among aspirants.
