Fresh Drama Rocks ADC as Rival Factions Declare Amaechi, Atiku Winners of Ebonyi Presidential Primary

Confusion and political tension erupted within the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Ebonyi State after two rival factions of the party announced different winners in the party’s presidential primary election ahead of the 2027 general elections.

One faction of the party declared former Rivers State governor and ex-Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, as the winner of the exercise, while another faction announced former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as the victorious candidate in a separate declaration.

According to officials aligned with the Amaechi faction, the primary election was conducted across the 171 political wards in Ebonyi State using a direct primary system. The Returning Officer, Bassey Edogi Imoke, announced that Amaechi secured 6,050 votes to defeat Atiku, who reportedly scored 1,210 votes, while another aspirant, Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, polled 4,840 votes.

The faction insisted that the exercise was peaceful, transparent, and witnessed massive participation from delegates across the state. Ebonyi ADC Chairman, Dr. Jennifer Adibe-Nwafor, described the process as credible and inclusive, noting that the ward-based voting system was introduced to allow wider participation by party members.

However, the situation took a dramatic turn after another faction within the party released a conflicting result declaring Atiku as the winner of the same presidential primary in Ebonyi State. The rival camp claimed that Atiku secured 15,300 votes, while Amaechi polled 2,200 votes and Hayatu-Deen received 200 votes.

The conflicting announcements have further exposed deep internal divisions within the ADC as political parties intensify preparations for the 2027 presidential election. Political observers say the development could create fresh uncertainty within the opposition coalition seeking to challenge the ruling APC in the next general elections.

As of the time of filing this report, the national leadership of the ADC had not issued an official clarification on which faction conducted the authentic primary or whose results would be recognized by the party.