Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has taken a massive lead in the African Democratic Congress presidential primary for the 2027 election after dominating results announced from 24 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
Atiku has already polled more than 1.4 million votes, leaving his closest challengers, former Rivers State governor Rotimi Amaechi and businessman Mohammed Hayatu Deen, trailing far behind as collation of results resumes today in Abuja.
The race, which started as a fierce three man battle, quickly turned into a one sided contest as Atiku swept key voting states across the country, especially in the North where the party has strong delegate numbers.
Before collation was suspended late Tuesday night, Atiku had secured a total of 1,432,275 votes. Amaechi followed with 246,455 votes while Hayatu Deen recorded 135,375 votes.
Chairman of the Presidential Primary Election Committee, Ikechi Emenike, announced that collation was paused because of Eid el Kabir celebrations and travel difficulties affecting some returning officers.
He said the remaining results from 12 states would be announced by 8 p.m. after the Sallah break.
Atiku recorded his biggest victory in Adamawa where he scored 177,141 votes. Amaechi got 18,949 votes while Hayatu Deen secured 1,896 votes.
In Kano, Atiku maintained another huge lead with 155,595 votes. Amaechi scored 9,994 votes while Hayatu Deen polled 15,914 votes.
The former vice president also dominated in Gombe with 136,933 votes, leaving Amaechi with 1,140 votes and Hayatu Deen with only 455 votes.
He also won convincingly in Borno, Sokoto, Zamfara, Kogi, Niger, Plateau, Nasarawa, Taraba, Yobe and several other states already declared.
Amaechi managed to record stronger performances in Benue, Taraba and Kogi. However, he defeated Atiku in Akwa Ibom with 20,343 votes against Atiku’s 17,623 votes.
Hayatu Deen posted some of his better numbers in Benue, Kano and Borno but failed to slow Atiku’s growing dominance nationwide.
In the South East, Atiku won Abia, Anambra, Enugu and Imo, while Amaechi picked up Ebonyi.
In the South West, Atiku cleared all declared states including Oyo, Ekiti, Ondo and Osun.
Political observers within the ADC now believe the focus has shifted from who will win the primary to how large Atiku’s final victory margin will be when the remaining states are announced later today.
