Former minister says up to 80% of party members were denied the right to vote, condemns process as flawed and inconsistent with ADC’s values

A former Minister of Transportation, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, has rejected the outcome of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential primaries, citing what he described as widespread irregularities and voter disenfranchisement.

In a strongly worded statement issued after the primaries, Amaechi alleged that a significant number of party members were prevented from participating in the electoral process, rendering the results unacceptable.

“I unequivocally reject the concocted results being announced,” he said, stressing that he had earlier committed to accepting the outcome only if the exercise was conducted in a free, fair, and transparent manner.

Amaechi claimed that as much as 80 percent of ADC members were unable to cast their votes during the primaries, raising concerns about the credibility of the exercise. According to him, such a level of exclusion undermines the democratic principles the party claims to uphold.

“There’s no way that about eighty percent of members of the party were not allowed to vote, and you expect me to accept such results,” he stated.

The former Rivers State governor also accused the party of hypocrisy, noting that the ADC had positioned itself as an alternative to what it often criticizes in Nigeria’s electoral system, including vote buying, rigging, and result manipulation.

“A party that criticizes the ruling APC and INEC… cannot be engaged in the same electoral malpractices,” he said, warning that such actions contradict the party’s mission to provide a credible platform for Nigerians.

Amaechi emphasized that the ADC was founded to amplify the voices of ordinary Nigerians and deliver a more inclusive political system, urging the party leadership to uphold those ideals.

The ADC has yet to issue an official response to Amaechi’s claims at the time of filing this report.