By Ify Okoli
Rotimi
Amaechi, former Minister of Transportation, has
dismissed reports claiming he was offered the position of running mate after
losing the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential primary, insisting
the story is false and does not reflect what actually happened within the
party.
The clarification comes
in the aftermath of a closely watched party contest, where former Vice
President Atiku
Abubakar emerged as the clear winner of the ADC presidential
ticket ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Atiku secured a dominant
victory in the primary, polling about 1.8 million votes and winning the
majority of states as well as the Federal Capital Territory. Amaechi came
second with just over 500,000 votes, while former banker Mohammed
Hayatu-Deen finished third with a smaller share of support.
Following
the announcement of the results, both Amaechi and Hayatu-Deen stayed away from
the official ceremony where the party formally declared the outcome. They later
raised concerns about the credibility of the process, describing the figures as
questionable and not reflective of what they believed had taken place during
the voting.
Amaechi,
a former governor of Rivers State, publicly criticised the exercise, saying the
outcome did not align with the values of fairness and openness that the party
had promised at the start of the race. Hayatu-Deen also voiced disappointment,
echoing similar concerns about the conduct of the primary.
In an
interview with broadcaster Chude Jideonwo, Amaechi
addressed growing speculation that he was approached to become Atiku’s
vice-presidential candidate following his defeat. He firmly rejected the claim,
saying no such offer was ever made to him.
He
explained that discussions had taken place within the party after the primary,
particularly between himself and Hayatu-Deen, regarding how to respond to the
outcome. According to him, they had agreed on a joint position before any
public statement was issued.
Amaechi
also spoke about a visit he made to the national leadership of the ADC, where
he met with party chairman David Mark. He dismissed
reports suggesting the meeting turned tense or that he stormed out in anger
after being asked to consider a vice-presidential role.
He
described the interaction as calm and respectful, saying the media version of
events was completely different from what actually happened. According to him,
the meeting ended with a handshake and no disagreements.
“I went
to see the national chairman of ADC. We had a proper discussion, and after
that, he walked me to the door,” he said. “We shook hands and I left. What
people are writing about it is not what happened at all.”
Amaechi
went further to reject the idea that anyone within the political space had ever
approached him to run as a deputy on any ticket. He insisted that his political
profile and experience make such discussions unlikely.
He
added, “Nobody has ever told me to be vice-president. They know my worth and
they also know how I would respond.”
Despite
the post-primary tension, reconciliation efforts appear to be underway within
the party. Earlier this week, Atiku Abubakar paid a visit to Amaechi,
accompanied by other senior figures in the ADC. The meeting is believed to be
part of wider moves to calm internal disagreements and bring key stakeholders
together ahead of the general elections.
While the party continues to manage the fallout from its
presidential primary, attention is now shifting to how united it can remain as
the 2027 race draws closer.
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