The African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Ebonyi State under the faction of Barrister Silas Onu has declared former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, winner of the party’s presidential primary election conducted across the state.
The result was announced late Monday at Preston Hotel, Abakaliki, which served as the faction’s state collation centre for the exercise.
Chairman of the Ebonyi State Presidential Primary Election Committee and ADC National Vice Chairman (Diaspora), Fred Onwe, who declared the result, said Atiku polled 15,300 votes to defeat former Minister of Transportation and ex-Governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi, who secured 2,200 votes, while Muhammad Hayatudeen scored 200 votes.
According to Onwe, the presidential primary election was conducted across the 171 wards in the 13 local government areas of Ebonyi State.
He disclosed that a total of 18,891 voters were registered for the exercise, while 17,700 members were accredited to participate in the primary.
“Consequent upon the outcome of the election as seen above, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, having scored the highest number of votes, is hereby declared the winner in Ebonyi State,” Onwe stated.
He congratulated the winner and other aspirants for what he described as their commitment and resilience throughout the exercise.
Also speaking, the factional Chairman of the ADC in Ebonyi State, Silas Joseph Onu, commended returning officers and party officials for their dedication during the conduct of the exercise despite heavy rainfall recorded in parts of the state.
Onu said the successful collation and return of results from the wards and local government areas reflected the determination of party members to strengthen the ADC ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The exercise was monitored by party officials and stakeholders from across the state.
The declaration, however, came amid conflicting results earlier announced by another leadership bloc of the party in the state, which had declared Amaechi winner of the same presidential primary election in Ebonyi.
Earlier on Monday, the Coordinator of Electoral Matters and Returning Officer for the exercise of another ADC faction led by Dr Mrs Jennifer Adibe-Nwafor, Bassey Edogi Imoke, announced at the party secretariat, Abakaliki, that Amaechi emerged victorious after polling 6,050 votes to defeat Atiku, who scored 1,210 votes, while Hayatuddeen garnered 4,840 votes.
Imoke explained that the presidential primary was conducted through a direct primary system across the 171 political wards in the state.
According to him, 12,641 delegates were registered for the exercise, while 12,100 delegates were accredited and participated in the election.
“At the end of the election, His Excellency Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi, having scored the highest number of votes cast, is hereby returned elected as the preferred flag bearer of the African Democratic Congress in Ebonyi State for the 2027 general election,” Imoke declared.
Earlier, the Ebonyi State Chairman of the ADC, Jennifer Adibe-Nwafor, had stated that the exercise commenced peacefully across the state without reports of violence or irregularities.
She noted that the conduct of the direct primary across the wards marked a departure from the party’s previous system where delegates converged at a single venue for primaries.
Reacting to the earlier outcome, Adibe-Nwafor congratulated Amaechi on his victory and commended party members for their peaceful conduct during the process.
Also speaking, Chairman of the Primary Election Committee, Paschal Okafor, described the exercise as peaceful, transparent and credible, noting that all aspirants were given a level playing field.
