Returning officers for the presidential primary election of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) have started arriving at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja, for the collation and declaration of results.
PrimeTimes Nigeria reports that the exercise marks the final stage of the party’s nationwide primary, which commenced on Monday across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
Party officials are expected to conclude the collation process later on Tuesday, after which the winner of the ADC presidential ticket for the 2027 election will be announced.
The contest is between former Vice-President, Atiku Abubakar, former Rivers State governor and ex-Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, and economist and former banker, Mohammed Hayatu-Deen.
The primary has generated political interest within opposition circles as parties begin early positioning and coalition talks ahead of the 2027 general election.
Before the ADC adopted the direct primary option, there were speculations about a possible consensus arrangement among the aspirants.
However, all three contenders rejected calls to step down and insisted on testing their popularity through the ballot.
Returning Officers Submit Results
At the venue, returning officers from Abia, Akwa Ibom and Kebbi states had already arrived to submit and present results from their states.
Officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission are also expected to monitor the exercise.
About 20 seats were reserved inside the collation hall for electoral observers and INEC representatives.
The atmosphere at the Transcorp Hilton remained calm as party officials, delegates, journalists and security personnel moved in and out of the conference area ahead of the formal declaration.
The primary is regarded as one of the biggest internal contests in the ADC’s recent history.
It is expected to shape the party’s strategy for the 2027 presidential election and its role in the evolving opposition landscape.
The collation comes amid concerns over alleged irregularities in parts of the process.
One of the aspirants, Hayatu-Deen, had announced that he would boycott the final declaration ceremony, citing reports of widespread vote rigging.
Despite the controversy, party leaders insisted that the process remained credible and transparent, with final collation expected to continue throughout the day.