Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar on Thursday paid a visit to a former governor of Rivers State and Minister of Transportation, Chief Rotimi Amaechi, at his Abuja residence.
This visit came hours after the Adamawa politician was declared the winner of the presidential primary of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) on Wednesday, defeating Amaechi and businessman Mohammed Hayatu-Deen.
The former vice president said that the visit centred on deep and honest conversations about the troubling state of the nation, the growing economic pain, insecurity, “and the urgent responsibility on patriotic Nigerians to continue engaging in the search for solutions that can rescue our country from drift and despair”.
“I also felicitated with him on the occasion of his birthday yesterday and teased that Arsenal’s historic triumph could not have arrived at a better time. Chief Amaechi, a thoroughly well-loaded Gunner, took the banter in very good spirits.
“In true Rivers hospitality, he apologised for not having enough time to prepare Fisherman Soup, a delicacy I have now been promised on our return for the second leg,” he added.
On Wednesday, the ADC said Atiku polled 1,846,370 votes to beat his closest rival, Amaechi, who polled 504,117 votes.
It also said Hayatu-Deen got 177,120 votes in the primary.
But the former Rivers governor faulted the process.
The former minister rejected the outcome, alleging widespread voter disenfranchisement during the exercise.
Similarly, Hayatu-Deen said he would not attend the announcement of the party’s presidential primary election results, citing allegations of widespread vote rigging.
However, the National Chairman of the party, Senator David Mark, had shortly after the announcement of the result said that the party allowed a free contest and allowed the members to make their choice.
He said that though the exercise was not perfect, there was room for improvement.
According to him, each of the aspirants is qualified to lead, but only one person could fly the flag of the ADC.
Atiku and Amaechi joined the ADC in July 2025 along with other opposition figures as part of a broader opposition realignment aimed at defeating President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 general election.
