Former Minister of Transportation and prominent political figure, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, has rejected the outcome of the presidential primaries conducted by the African Democratic Congress, alleging widespread irregularities and massive disenfranchisement of party members during the exercise.
In a strongly worded statement released after the primaries, Amaechi described the results being announced by the party as “concocted,” insisting that the process failed to meet the standards of credibility, transparency, and fairness expected of a democratic political institution.
The former Rivers State governor stated that he had earlier made it clear that he would only accept the outcome of the primaries if the process was conducted in a free, fair, and transparent manner.
According to him, the developments witnessed during the exercise fell far short of those expectations.
Amaechi alleged that a significant percentage of party members across the country were denied the opportunity to vote, a situation he said undermined the integrity of the entire process.
“There’s no way that about eighty percent of members of the party were not allowed to vote, and you expect me to accept such results,” he declared.
He further questioned the moral standing of the party if it failed to uphold the same democratic principles it had consistently demanded from the ruling government and electoral authorities.
The former minister noted that the ADC was founded on the promise of offering Nigerians an alternative political platform capable of restoring accountability, fairness, and responsible governance.
He stressed that the party was expected to amplify the voices of ordinary Nigerians irrespective of ethnicity, religion, or social background.
Amaechi also accused elements within the party of engaging in practices similar to those frequently criticized in Nigeria’s electoral system, including vote buying, manipulation of results, and other forms of electoral malpractice.
According to him, any political party that condemns the ruling All Progressives Congress and the Independent National Electoral Commission over allegations of electoral misconduct must not be seen participating in the same practices internally.
“This is not acceptable,” Amaechi stated firmly, warning that such actions could erode public confidence in the party’s credibility and weaken its claim as a genuine alternative for Nigerians seeking political change.
The development has since generated reactions within political circles, with observers suggesting that the dispute may deepen internal tensions within the ADC ahead of the next phase of the electoral process.
Political analysts believed the allegations, if not properly addressed by the party leadership, could pose significant challenges to unity within the opposition party as preparations for future national elections continue.
