Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar was ahead of his rivals – Rotimi Amaechi and Mohammed Hayatu-Deen – as the African Democratic Congress (ADC) began the collation of results for the presidential primary last night.
The former vice president was declared winner in Yobe and Zamfara states. He was leading in Adamawa, Sokoto, Kaduna, Edo, Enugu and Nasarawa states as results were trickling in from the wards.
Presidential Primary Election Committee Chairman, who doubles as the returning officer for Zamfara, Muhammad Musa, declared Atiku Abubakar winner in the state.
READ ALSO:
- Atiku takes early lead in ADC presidential primaries, wins five states
- ADC faction endorses Dumebi Kachikwu as presidential candidate
- Rhodes-Vivour: I’ll remain in ADC
Declaring the results at the state collation center in Command Guests House, Gusau, Musa said the election was conducted across 147 wards in all the 14 local government areas of the state.
According to him, 61,137 out of the 63,404 registered party members voted.
He said: “Right Hon. Rotimi Amechi scored 191 votes, Hayatu Deen scored 446 votes and Alhaji Atiku Abubakar scores 60, 500 votes, Musa declared.
Musa stated that the election process followed the party guidelines and the outcome was declared based on the total number of votes collated.
In Yobe, the former vice president polled 44,841 to defeat his challengers in the shadow poll that took place across the 178 political wards in the 17 local government areas.
Party officials, who witnessed collation of results in the ADC Secretariat in Damaturu, said the process was peaceful and orderly.
The State Primary Election Returning Officer and Chairperson of the Electoral Committee, Hajiya Ma’am Kyari, said Amaechi polled 300 votes, while Hayatu Deen garnered 365 votes.
Hajiya Kyari said the election was conducted in compliance with the party’s guidelines and democratic procedures.
“Having scored the highest number of valid votes cast, H.E. Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, GCON, is hereby declared the winner of the ADC Presidential Primary Election in Yobe state,” she stated.
In Akure, the Ondo State capital, the results from the 203 wards, were still being collated.
Speaking after the primary, the Secretary of the ADC in the state, Mr. Olakunle Adeloye, said the primary commenced early, with party members gathering at designated ward collation centres.
Democracy at works, says Atiku
Atiku, who voted at Ajiya Ward Polling Unit in the Jimeta metropolitan district of Yola, described the primary as democracy at work, noting that voting was taking place simultaneously across 8,809 wards in the country.
“This is a major step in our quest to recover our beloved country and set it on the path of prosperity,” Atiku told reporters.
He said the ADC remains confident and prepared to take over leadership of the country despite prevailing issues, including divisions within the party.
Atiku said the internal disagreement is not peculiar to the ADC, assuring that it cannot weaken the party.
He said the party remains united, determined, and fully ready for victory at the polls, urging Nigerians to ensure that their votes count during elections.
Atiku, who hails from Jada local government in Southern Adamawa, but makes Yola North his political base, was endorsed last Sunday by the state chapter for President.
