Former Rivers State Governor and chieftain of the African Democratic Congress, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, has rejected the outcome of the party’s presidential primaries, describing the results as “concocted” and lacking credibility.
In a strongly worded statement issued after the primaries, Amaechi alleged that widespread voter disenfranchisement occurred across the country, preventing a large percentage of party members from participating in the exercise.
According to him, he had earlier made it clear that he would only accept the outcome of the primaries if the process was free, fair, and transparent.
“I unequivocally reject the concocted results being announced,” Amaechi stated, insisting that the process failed to reflect the democratic values the ADC claims to uphold.
The former Minister of Transportation argued that nearly 80 percent of party members were allegedly denied the opportunity to vote, questioning the legitimacy of the exercise and the integrity of the party’s internal electoral process.
Amaechi further accused the party of engaging in the same electoral malpractices it had often condemned in the ruling All Progressives Congress and the Independent National Electoral Commission, including vote buying, rigging, and result manipulation.
“A party that criticizes the ruling APC and INEC for vote buying, rigging and writing of results, cannot be engaged in vote buying, writing of results, and other electoral malpractices,” he said.
He maintained that the ADC was created to provide Nigerians with a credible alternative platform that would amplify the voices of ordinary citizens regardless of ethnicity, religion, or social background.
Amaechi concluded by declaring that the alleged irregularities and disenfranchisement witnessed during the primaries were unacceptable and contrary to the ideals of democratic governance.
