ADC Presidential Primaries Hailed as Highly Competitive
The National Publicity Secretary of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Bolaji Abdullahi, has commended the conduct of the party’s presidential primary elections held across the country on Monday. Speaking on Arise Television’s “Prime Time,” he emphasized that the ADC remains the only political party not controlled by a single individual.
Abdullahi described the contest as the most competitive primary he has ever experienced, highlighting three top‑class candidates who, in his view, are each qualified to outperform President Bola Tinubu. He noted that deciding which aspirant should step down for another has become a genuine challenge.
“Even as I speak to you, I cannot tell you who won in my home state, Kwara, and in many other states I have been monitoring. The level of competition is that intense,” he said.
Allegations of Malpractices Raised by Aspirant Mohammed Hayatu-Deen
In contrast, 2027 presidential aspirant Mohammed Hayatu-Deen reported alleged malpractices during the same primaries. After voting in Borno, he said he had received disturbing reports of irregularities from various parts of the country.
Hayatu-Deen claimed that certain individuals have been pressuring him to withdraw from the race in favour of another candidate, asserting that his continued candidacy would cause problems for the party. He stressed that any qualified citizen should be free to contest any office without intimidation.
He cited specific incidents: in Kaduna State, party members were told a consensus had been reached and that he had stepped down, even though voting had not yet occurred. In Zaria, where he has strong support, the election had not commenced by 5 p.m., yet voters were denied their rights, which he labelled criminal and fraudulent.
Furthermore, Hayatu-Deen alleged that electoral officers assigned to collate results in Southern Borno abandoned their posts, retreated to a secluded area, and filled out result sheets without the presence of voters. Despite these claims, he affirmed that the voting process in his own ward was peaceful and satisfactory.
He urged the ADC leadership to confront these challenges and alleged malpractices promptly to safeguard the party’s reputation ahead of the 2027 general election.
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