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An African Democratic Congress, ADC, presidential aspirant, Rotimi Amaechi, has given condition to question the party’s ongoing presidential primary.

Amaechi disclosed that he would react and question the process of the primary election if it’s not free and fair.

He spoke to journalists after casting his vote at the ongoing ADC’s presidential primary in his Ward of Ubima, Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State.

According to Amaechi: “It was a huge number of turn out, first there was celebration and dancing, then we got the INEC people involved and I did cast my vote and left the place.

“I was monitoring the country state-by-state where I was, I hope the system would be transparent as it was in my village, if it’s transparent I would accept the result but if it’s not free and fair a lot of us would react.

“The answer is yes, If the other person wins, I will work with him but if the process is not free and fair, I would question it.”

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The African Democratic Congress, ADC, has opened its presidential primary election with a mocking swipe at the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, declaring that unlike others, it would not ‘jump from 3 to 30 or from 500 to 1000’ while counting votes ahead of the 2027 general election.

The party used the commencement of its nationwide primary to portray itself as a rare example of competitive internal democracy at a time when many Nigerians believe presidential candidates are increasingly being produced through backroom deals rather than open contests.

Chairman of the ADC Presidential Primaries Election Committee, Chief Ikechi Emenike, alongside the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, and National Organising Secretary, Prince Chinedu Idigo, spoke on Monday in Abuja as voting commenced across the country to determine the party’s presidential candidate.

The race pits former Vice President Atiku Abubakar against former Rivers State governor and ex-Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, as well as economist and former Chairman of the Nigeria Economic Summit Group, Mohammed Hayatu-Deen.

Emenike said: “At a time when democratic values are increasingly being degraded within the nation’s political landscape, the ADC proudly stands out as the only political party in Nigeria presently demonstrating a genuine commitment to transparent, inclusive and democratic principles in the selection of its presidential candidate.

“Our aspirants are genuine presidential contenders, not some shadowy candidate contrived to confer legitimacy on a process where one man contested against himself.

“And as you would have seen, we know how to count properly and arithmetically. We are ADC. We will not inflate our registration numbers to deceive Nigerians. And when counting votes, we will not jump from 3 to 30 or from 500 to 1000.”

He said party members were already voting nationwide and urged them to ensure that only genuine figures were recorded during the exercise.

Meanwhile, the party spokesman, Abdullahi, insisted that the ADC remained the only party currently conducting what he described as a genuinely competitive presidential primary.

He said: “We are very proud that we are the only party conducting a real primary election in this country today. Even as we speak, none of the three aspirants can confidently tell you that he will fly the ticket of the African Democratic Congress.

“We are proud that we are giving Nigerians a truly competitive internal democratic process.”

The ADC spokesman also dismissed a rival faction that reportedly held separate congresses and announced Dumebi Kachikwu as the party’s presidential candidate.

He said: “If you go through the process with the Independent National Electoral Commission, leadership of the African Democratic Congress is not a matter for speculation. There are laid-down procedures within the organisation. There are specific processes you must go through and requirements you must meet.

“You need to submit a membership register. You need to provide details of your state officers. If you are conducting congresses, you must notify INEC and provide details across the states so the commission can monitor the process. They are expected to witness the congresses, monitor the results and supervise the entire exercise. All these processes have already started.

“So, for this issue to suddenly surface in Abuja on Sunday, we are left wondering what exactly is going on.

“This matter went up to the Supreme Court, the highest court in the land. It affirmed that there is only one leadership under former Senate President David Mark and former Governor Rauf Aregbesola.”

On party membership strength, Abdullahi said the ADC had 3,444,000 registered members based on records submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.

“We are building a political party that is based on certain principles, one of which is transparency. So the number I have given you can be verified with INEC, and you will find it exactly as stated,” he said.

Abdullahi, however, returned to his criticism of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, accusing it of inflating membership figures ahead of the 2027 election.

He said: “What the APC is doing is amusing and laughable. They are simply setting the stage for the rigging of the 2027 election.

“By claiming that they have 20 million or 30 million members, they are trying to plant in people’s minds the idea that at least 11 million votes are already guaranteed. It is all lies.”

Also speaking, the party’s National Organising Secretary, Chinedu Idigo, said the ADC had put in place what he described as a meticulous process to ensure credible primaries across all elective positions.

“The process we have put in place is aimed at ensuring that the best candidates emerge,” he said.

On the role of INEC, Idigo said the commission had been formally notified and was monitoring the presidential primary nationwide.

He said: “We gave INEC the required notices and ensured that it attended all our primaries, from the state assembly to the governorship primaries.

“And reports reaching us today indicate that the presidential primaries are also being supervised by INEC across the federation.”

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Fresh questions are trailing Edo State Governor Monday Okpebholo’s ambitious promise to deliver 2.5 million votes for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election, especially after the APC presidential primary in the state produced just 131,096 votes for the president.

Governor Okpebholo, who doubled as the state returning officer, announced the primary results on Saturday, May 23, 2026, after collation from all 192 wards. President Tinubu polled 131,096 votes while his only challenger, Stanley Osifo, managed a solitary vote. The governor hailed the exercise as peaceful and a sign of strong support.

Hours later, the same governor doubled down on his earlier pledge, describing the 2.5 million target as “possible,” “achievable,” and “already settled” in Edo State. He claimed people were already “shouting 2.5 million votes on the streets” and pointed to federal projects and mobilisation as the magic formula.

Critics Cry “Daydream

”The huge disconnect between the primary figure and the general election promise has triggered widespread mockery across social media and opposition circles. Many Nigerians are asking how a state that produced roughly 131,000 APC primary votes hopes to deliver nearly 20 times that number in a contested national election.

Political observers and online commentators have labelled the pledge as political fantasy. Some pointed out that even total voter turnout in past Edo governorship elections has rarely approached such heights, let alone votes for a single candidate. Opposition voices, particularly from the PDP, described the claim as “overheating” and detached from reality.

One viral social media post asked: “Governor, is the 2.5 million coming from Edo or from dreamland?”Okpebholo’s defenders insist the primary only reflected accredited APC members, while the general election will attract a broader electorate motivated by infrastructure projects and federal support. The governor has repeatedly maintained that “it is settled” and that development efforts will convert sceptics into voters.

Edo State has historically been a battleground with strong opposition presence. President Tinubu’s performance in the 2023 election in the state was modest, making the sudden jump to 2.5 million votes a tall order even for loyal APC members.

As reactions continue to pour in, the governor’s bold assurance has become fodder for memes and late-night comedy, with many framing it as classic Nigerian political optimism or overpromise.

Whether Governor Okpebholo can bridge the massive gap between 131,096 and 2.5 million remains to be seen. For now, his declaration has left many wondering if it’s a statement of confidence or a political daydream.