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Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has emerged victorious in the African Democratic Congress, ADC, presidential primary election conducted nationwide.

Atiku secured victory after polling 1,846,370 votes to defeat former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, who garnered 504,117 votes.

Speaking after the declaration, Atiku said:

I wish to express my profound appreciation for the privilege, which you have bestowed on me, of leading our great party, the African Democratic Congress, into the next elections as its Presidential Candidate. I am truly humbled and excited by this singular honour.

We demonstrated that while democracy is being strangled and squashed by the ruling party and its oppressive and anti-democratic government, democracy is alive and well in the African Democratic Congress. In our party, members are allowed to express their views, to have ambitions and to contest for elective positions in a free, fair and transparent process.

Our great party is a coalition built through hard work, immense sacrifices and compromises, guided by our determination to rescue our country’s democracy which is facing its greatest threat since the return to democratic rule in 1999.

As I speak, virtually all opposition political parties in the country have leadership crisis engineered by the APC government, the INEC and elements in the judiciary. And opposition figures continue to be harassed and intimidated, including those languishing in detention, such as Mallam Nasir El-Rufai who distinguished himself as a public servant, including as a Minister and two-term Governor of Kaduna State. He has been in detention for three months despite court orders granting him bail. He has been denied the right to celebrate two important religious holidays with his family in addition to being denied the opportunity to be by his mother’s side as she took her last breath. All because he is a leading opposition figure! This kind of cruelty must stop.

The government, he alleged, has continued to pressure opposition politicians into joining the APC through the use of security agencies and anti-corruption institutions established by previous administrations.

According to him, once such politicians defect to the ruling party, all forms of harassment and legal cases against them suddenly disappear. He described the development as an abuse of power that must end.

Atiku further stated that extensive efforts and due diligence were undertaken in building the coalition, but accused the government and INEC of attempting to frustrate the alliance, including alleged moves to deregister the party.

He warned that any further interference in the affairs of the party by the Presidency, INEC, or the judiciary would be strongly resisted.

The former Vice President also congratulated fellow aspirants who participated in the contest, noting that they were all motivated by patriotism and the desire to improve the lives of Nigerians.

He maintained that the country was facing worsening economic hardship, insecurity, nepotism, political intolerance, and what he described as a deliberate push toward a one-party state by the APC-led government.

Atiku stressed that despite emerging victorious, it was not yet time for celebration, insisting that no contestant should be viewed as defeated because all members remain united under one political platform.

He urged party members to work together in order to rescue Nigeria from what he called the destructive grip of a corrupt, incompetent and divisive administration.

The ADC presidential candidate also commended the primary election committee for organising what he described as a peaceful, transparent, free and fair process.

He further appreciated the party leadership, stakeholders, volunteers, supporters and members for their dedication, patience and commitment throughout the exercise.

Atiku added that with the primaries concluded, the party would now focus fully on preparations for the general elections with the aim of taking over power and addressing the country’s challenges.

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