Isaac Samuel
Barely one week after the African Democratic Congress (ADC) announced former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, as its vice-presidential candidate for the 2027 general election, fresh indications have emerged that the former Rivers State governor is under pressure from his supporters to challenge the party’s presidential primary in court.
The development comes amid growing disquiet within the opposition party over Amaechi’s nomination as running mate to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, with some party stakeholders reportedly seeking his replacement despite efforts by the party leadership to project unity.
Those familiar with the matter disclosed that although the vice-presidential nomination was part of a broader reconciliation arrangement designed to calm tensions following the presidential primary, some of Amaechi’s loyalists remain dissatisfied and are urging him to pursue legal action if agreements reached within the party are not fully implemented.
It was learnt that Amaechi had considered challenging the outcome of the presidential primary before negotiations by senior party leaders resulted in a power-sharing arrangement that paved the way for his emergence as Atiku’s running mate.
The vice-presidential slot was intended to prevent a prolonged internal crisis that could weaken the party ahead of the 2027 elections.
It was further gathered that resistance to Amaechi’s nomination has largely come from some supporters of Atiku who believe the former minister wields significant influence within the emerging coalition and could alter the balance of power within the party.
But concerns remain over whether the understandings reached during the negotiations would be fully respected, a situation that has fuelled renewed calls for legal action among some of Amaechi’s supporters.
The controversy has persisted despite attempts by Atiku’s camp to dismiss reports of a crisis within the ADC.
Responding to speculation surrounding the delay in formally unveiling Amaechi as the party’s vice-presidential candidate, one of Atiku’s media aides, Abdulrasheed Shehu, insisted that there was no disagreement between both camps.
In a post on X on Monday, Shehu attributed the delay to Atiku’s travel schedule and maintained that the ticket remained intact.
“Atiku/Amaechi is settled. His Excellency is on a short business trip. Once he returns, Amaechi will be officially unveiled in a few days as the VP candidate. Stop posting fake news,” he wrote.
The clarification followed reports suggesting that Amaechi had yet to formally accept the nomination and that disagreements over the ticket were responsible for the delay in his unveiling.
However, beneath the public assurances, concerns remain among some stakeholders regarding the arrangements that produced the Atiku-Amaechi ticket.
Some of the members of the party were reportedly uncomfortable with the concessions allegedly made to secure Amaechi’s acceptance of the vice-presidential position.
Also, opposition to Amaechi’s nomination had deepened divisions between different blocs within the party, particularly between former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members aligned with Atiku and politicians who joined the coalition from other platforms.
Meanwhile, one of Atiku’s sons, Shehu Abubakar, sought to downplay reports of friction between the two camps, expressing confidence in the partnership.
In a Facebook post, he wrote: “My brother, I was with the incoming Vice President of Nigeria this morning. We look forward to working with you to salvage our country from the catastrophic APC.”
