African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate for the 2027 election, Atiku Abubakar, on Thursday met with former Minister of Transportation and ex-Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, following the controversy surrounding the party’s presidential primary election.
The meeting came barely hours after Amaechi rejected the outcome of the ADC presidential primary, which produced Atiku as the party’s flagbearer for the 2027 general election.
Although details of the closed-door meeting were not immediately made public, political observers believe the visit may be part of efforts to calm tensions within the party and prevent divisions ahead of the national election campaign.
Neither Atiku nor Amaechi addressed journalists after the meeting, leaving party supporters and political analysts speculating about the purpose and outcome of their discussions.
Atiku emerged winner of the ADC presidential primary after defeating Amaechi and other contestants in the election conducted by the party.
However, before the official declaration of results, Amaechi openly rejected the process, alleging that the primary election was marred by irregularities.
The former Rivers State governor claimed the exercise failed to meet acceptable standards and suggested that the process did not reflect fairness and transparency.
Although he did not immediately announce any legal action or intention to leave the party, his reaction raised concerns among ADC supporters about possible internal crisis within the opposition party.
Atiku, in his acceptance speech after emerging as the party’s candidate, appealed for unity among members and urged aggrieved aspirants to support him.
The former vice president specifically called on Amaechi and other dissatisfied party members to work together for the success of the ADC ahead of the 2027 elections.
He stressed that the opposition needed unity and cooperation if it hoped to challenge the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the next presidential election.
The ADC has recently attracted attention following the movement of several opposition politicians into the party ahead of the 2027 elections.
The party is gradually positioning itself as a possible alternative platform for politicians seeking to challenge the APC and President Bola Tinubu in the next election cycle.
Atiku, who served as Nigeria’s vice president between 1999 and 2007, remains one of the country’s most experienced opposition politicians.
He previously contested for president multiple times under different political parties, including the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), where he was the presidential candidate in both the 2019 and 2023 elections.
Amaechi is also regarded as one of Nigeria’s influential political figures.
He served as Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Governor of Rivers State for eight years, and later as Minister of Transportation under former President Muhammadu Buhari.
He was also a major figure within the APC before his recent political movements.
Both Atiku and Amaechi were previously members of the PDP before later becoming key figures in the APC at different periods of their political careers.
Their latest political alliance within the ADC had generated interest among supporters who believed the party could become a stronger opposition force ahead of 2027.
However, the disagreement over the primary election has now raised questions about the party’s ability to manage internal competition and maintain unity among powerful political figures.
Such disagreements have in the past led to defections, lawsuits and weakened election campaigns.
The meeting between Atiku and Amaechi is therefore being viewed as an important step toward reconciliation within the party.
Some party supporters expressed hope that both leaders would eventually resolve their differences and focus on strengthening the ADC ahead of the general elections.
Others, however, said the party must address concerns raised about the primary process to avoid future internal conflicts.
The 2027 presidential election is already attracting attention despite being months away, with political parties and major politicians beginning early consultations and alliances.
Issues such as economic hardship, insecurity, unemployment and the rising cost of living are expected to dominate political campaigns ahead of the election.
Opposition parties are also expected to intensify efforts to build stronger coalitions capable of challenging the ruling APC.
For the ADC, maintaining unity among influential figures like Atiku and Amaechi may be crucial to its chances in the next election.
As of Thursday evening, party officials had yet to release an official statement on the outcome of the meeting between the two politicians.