Former Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi has openly declared that he hopes former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar will fail in the African Democratic Congress presidential primary ahead of the 2027 elections.
Speaking during the interview, Amaechi said his decision to dump the APC was deliberate and linked to concerns over accountability and the direction of governance in the country.
“Of course, that’s the reason,” Amaechi said when asked if dissatisfaction with the APC informed his exit from the party.
“That’s the main reason. Why would I be shopping for your party?” he added.
The former minister was also asked about his chances in the ADC, particularly with Atiku, who has contested for Nigeria’s presidency multiple times, also in the race.
Responding, Amaechi said, “One, for accountability.”
He further reacted to recent comments credited to former Cross River State governor, Donald Duke, about Atiku’s repeated presidential ambitions.
“I watched a video by Governor Duke, who said he’s contested in 1992. It’s his choice. It’s his choice to contest,” Amaechi said.
The former APC chieftain, however, took a direct swipe at Atiku’s electoral history, saying repeated primary victories had not translated into success at the general elections.
“I listened when they said former Vice President said he never failed primary before. I hope this will be the first time he will fail primary,” Amaechi said.
“But that’s not even the issue. The issue is that at all times that you have passed primary, you have not won election. So it’s about electability.”
According to him, the major question for ADC delegates and Nigerians should be whether a candidate can actually defeat the ruling party at the polls.
“It’s not the number of times. It’s can I win this election if you put me before the country?” he said.
“Vis-a-vis him, would he be able to win the election? And the answer I get is that he may not be able to win the election if he’s put forward.”
Asked why he believed Atiku might not be able to win, Amaechi replied, “Because he has done it against me before and lost now. That’s elementary analysis.”
He also questioned what Atiku still had to offer Nigerians politically after several previous attempts at the presidency.
“So what new thing do they bring to the table?” Amaechi asked.
The comments come amid mounting tension within the ADC coalition, where leading opposition figures are battling for influence ahead of the party’s presidential primary.
ANN had earlier reported that the ADC recently postponed its presidential screening exercise following disagreements among party stakeholders over the possibility of adopting a consensus candidate.
The internal crisis reportedly centres around Atiku, Amaechi and former banker Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, with party leaders struggling to unite behind a single aspirant capable of confronting President Bola Tinubu and the APC in the 2027 election.
Sources within the party had disclosed that consultations were ongoing to avoid deepening divisions within the coalition, as concerns continue to grow over the party’s finances, internal negotiations and the possibility of a fiercely contested primary.
Despite the tensions, Atiku had earlier said he would support whoever emerges victorious in the ADC primary, describing the coalition as a necessary platform to challenge the ruling All Progressives Congress in 2027.
