- ADC Primaries So Competitive I Don’t Know Winner – Abdullahi
- Hayatu-Deen alleged pressure, misinformation and irregularities in parts of the exercise.
- Aspirant vowed to challenge malpractice and protect integrity of the process.
The National Publicity Secretary of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, Bolaji Abdullahi, has commended the conduct of the party’s presidential primary election held across the country on Monday, describing it as highly competitive and credible.
Speaking during an appearance on Arise Television’s ‘Prime Time’, Abdullahi said the ADC stands out as a political party not controlled by any single individual.
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EKO HOT BLOG reports that he also noted that the exercise reflected strong participation across thousands of wards nationwide.
According to him, the level of competition in the primary was unlike anything he had previously experienced.
He said, “The ADC is the only party today that is not controlled by an individual. We have three top-class candidates who, in their own right, are eminently qualified and can do better than President Tinubu. Deciding who should withdraw for whom is a challenge.”
He added, “Thousands of wards across the country, our members have trooped down to vote in one of the most competitive internal elections that I have ever experienced in my life.”
Abdullahi further stated that the outcome remained unclear in several states due to the competitiveness of the exercise.
He said, “Even as I speak to you, I cannot tell you who won in my home state, Kwara, and in many other states that I have been closely watching. It is that competitive.”
Meanwhile, a 2027 presidential aspirant of the ADC, Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, has raised concerns over alleged irregularities in the ongoing party primaries.
Speaking after voting in Borno State, Hayatu-Deen said he received reports from different parts of the country alleging malpractice during the exercise.
He also claimed that some individuals pressured him to step down for another aspirant.
Despite the allegations, he said the process in his own ward was peaceful and satisfactory.
Hayatu-Deen urged party leaders to urgently address the reported irregularities to protect the image of the ADC ahead of the 2027 general elections.
He said, “Today is a momentous day because the ADC presidential primaries are still ongoing. I am just coming from my ward, where the atmosphere is peaceful, and the people assured me they would vote massively for my candidature.”
He added, “However, I would like to bring to the attention of the entire country certain malpractices that are ugly and disturbing. First and foremost, I have received a number of phone calls from people asking me to step down for a particular candidate, claiming that my candidature is going to cause problems for the party.”
Hayatu-Deen insisted that every aspirant has the right to contest freely, adding that no candidate should be pressured to withdraw.
He further said, “This should be a free, fair and transparent election. Anybody capable of contesting any office has the right to present himself for service.”
The aspirant also alleged that in some locations, party members were misinformed about consensus arrangements and denied the opportunity to vote.
He described such actions as unacceptable and vowed to challenge any form of electoral misconduct within the party.
Hayatu-Deen maintained that the process must reflect the true will of party members, stressing that he would continue to pursue justice over the alleged irregularities.
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