Former Minister of Transportatio, Rotimi Amaechi, has expressed confidence in his chances of clinching the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential ticket ahead of the 2027 election, saying former Vice President Atiku Abubakar may no longer be electorally viable.
Speaking during an interview on Trust TV on Monday night, Amaechi said although Atiku had consistently won party primaries, he had failed to convert them into presidential victories.
“I listened when the former vice president said he never failed a primary before. I hope this will be the first time he will fail primary,” Amaechi said.
“The issue is that at all times that you have passed primary, you have not won an election. So it’s about electability.”
Amaechi argued that his own candidacy would present a fresh option to voters because he had never previously contested a presidential election.
“I’ve never run. If nothing else, I can argue that I’ve never run any presidential election,” he said.
The former minister, however, praised both Atiku and former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, saying they would govern Nigeria better than President Bola Ahmed Tinubu if elected.
“If you give this country to Vice President Atiku to govern, I believe he would do well. Just as I think Governor Obi would do well. Honestly, both of them would do better than President Tinubu,” Amaechi said.
He also accused Tinubu of promoting ethnic considerations in governance, while contrasting his approach with that of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, whom he described as “a huge nationalist.”
On zoning, Amaechi said he supported the principle because Nigeria was still grappling with issues of national unity.
“The answer is yes and no. Yes in the sense that the country, for now, is yet to be found as a united entity,” he said.
ADC has appointed former Governor of Cross River State, Senator Liyel Imoke, and former Governor of Kwara State, Abdulfatah Ahmed, to lead its presidential primary committees.
While Senator Imoke will serve as Chairman of the Presidential Screening Committee, Abdulfatah Ahmed will head the Presidential Election Committee.
Other members of the Presidential Screening Committee include Hon. C.I.D. Maduabum as Secretary, Alhaji Lawal Batagarawa, Prof. Bode Ayorinde, Hon. Nnena Elendu-Ukeje, Prof. David Salifu, and Col. Abubakar Ali Ciroma.
The Presidential Election Committee has Prof. Yisa Gana as Secretary, alongside Maj.-Gen. Adamu Jalingo, Dr Auwalu Anwar, Chief Emenike Ikechi, Dr. Macaulay Iyare, Tajudeen Bakare, Elder Ubolo Itodo Okpanachi, Zainab Buba Galadima, Uzoamaka Onyeama, and Maj.-Gen Muhammad Inuwa Idris as members.
The party also constituted a Presidential Appeals Committee chaired by Dr. Suleiman Usman, SAN, with Barr. Ken Imasuagbon serving as Secretary, while Barr. Dare Okerade will serve as member.
The ADC said the committees were carefully constituted to ensure transparency, credibility, fairness, and internal democracy throughout the conduct of the party’s primaries.