Former Minister of Transportation and ex-Rotimi Amaechi governor, Rotimi Amaechi, has rejected the outcome of the presidential primary election conducted by the African Democratic Congress (ADC), describing the exercise as deeply flawed and inconsistent with democratic principles.
Amaechi voiced his dissatisfaction during an interview on Arise Television, where he accused the party leadership of overseeing a process he claimed lacked fairness, transparency and credibility.
The former Rivers State governor stated that he could not accept what he referred to as “concocted results,” insisting that he had earlier made it clear that only a transparent and credible primary election would be acceptable to him.
“I had initially stated that I will only accept the outcome of the primaries if the process was free, fair, and transparent, and I stand by my word,” Amaechi said.
He further alleged that a significant number of party members were denied the opportunity to participate in the voting process, a development he argued severely undermined the legitimacy of the election.
“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 stated.
Amaechi warned that the ADC risks losing public trust and moral credibility if it fails to uphold the democratic standards it regularly demands from other political parties and institutions.
According to him, the opposition party must avoid replicating the same practices it often condemns in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
“A party that criticizes the APC and INEC for vote buying, rigging and writing of results cannot be engaged in the same thing,” he said.
The former minister stressed that the ADC was established to provide Nigerians, especially ordinary citizens, with a platform built on accountability, justice and inclusion.
“The whole idea of the ADC was to give the Nigerian people a platform, to amplify the voices of the downtrodden,” he added.
Amaechi maintained that he would not recognise any outcome that does not genuinely reflect the wishes of party members, insisting that respect for internal democracy remains essential for the party’s future and credibility.
His comments have since sparked fresh debate within Nigeria’s political space, with observers suggesting that the controversy could deepen internal tensions within the ADC ahead of future electoral contests.
