Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, one of the aspirants seeking the presidential ticket of the African Democratic Congress for the 2027 election, has withdrawn from the ongoing process, citing alleged irregularities and reports of widespread vote rigging.
Hayatu-Deen announced his withdrawal in a statement on Tuesday, saying he would not attend the announcement of the ADC presidential primary results because of concerns over the credibility of the exercise.
“I will not be attending the announcement of the ADC Presidential Election Results today. I am concerned by reports from across the country of widespread vote rigging, some of which I myself observed, and will therefore be taking advice on my next steps,” he stated.
The withdrawal came as the ADC presidential primary continued to generate attention, with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi, and Hayatu-Deen listed as the major aspirants in the race.
Although the ADC had earlier described the exercise as transparent and democratic, Hayatu-Deen’s decision to pull out of the process is expected to deepen tension within the party, especially as collation of results continues nationwide.
Early results from some states showed Atiku taking a strong lead in the contest.
The former vice president reportedly won in Gombe, Abia, Ebonyi, Sokoto and Zamfara states, placing him ahead of Amaechi and Hayatu-Deen in the early stages of the primary.
In Gombe State, results announced by the Returning Officer, Prof. David Agbu, showed that Atiku polled 139,334 votes. Amaechi came second with 1,150 votes, while Hayatu-Deen secured 464 votes.
Atiku also won in Abia State with 25,153 votes, ahead of Amaechi, who scored 18,339 votes, while Hayatu-Deen received 3,264 votes.
In Ebonyi State, Atiku recorded 15,300 votes, while Amaechi polled 2,200 votes and Hayatu-Deen secured 200 votes.
The former vice president also won in Sokoto State with 68,823 votes, while Hayatu-Deen scored 319 votes and Amaechi polled 292 votes.
In Zamfara State, Atiku obtained 60,500 votes, while Hayatu-Deen scored 436 votes and Amaechi secured 191 votes.
However, Amaechi recorded a major victory in Bayelsa State, where he defeated Atiku and Hayatu-Deen.
According to results shared by the ADC, Amaechi polled 44,404 votes in Bayelsa, while Atiku came second with 6,570 votes and Hayatu-Deen scored 939 votes.
The ADC has yet to announce the final collated national results from the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
The primary is being closely watched as opposition parties continue realignments ahead of the 2027 general election. Atiku, who was the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in 2019 and 2023, remains one of the most prominent figures in the opposition.
Amaechi, a former governor of Rivers State and former chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, entered the race with promises of institutional reforms and internal party democracy, while Hayatu-Deen campaigned on economic restructuring and private sector-driven growth.
Political observers say the outcome of the ADC primary may influence ongoing coalition talks among opposition blocs seeking to challenge the ruling All Progressives Congress in 2027.
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