Former Vice‑President Abubakar Atiku and former Transport Minister Rotimi Amaechi filed their presidential nomination papers with the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Abuja on Thursday, bringing the party’s slate of contenders to three.
Atiku arrived at the ADC national secretariat on Ademola Adetokunbo Street, Wuse 2, accompanied by a large entourage of supporters. Minutes later, Amaechi submitted his own forms. Their presence created traffic congestion around the party headquarters. The filing ceremony also saw former Attorney‑General Abubakar Malami lodge his nomination for the Kebbi governorship and Senator Ireti Kingibe submit her re‑election paperwork for the Federal Capital Territory Senate seat, although neither Malami nor Kingibe gave interviews.
After completing his filing, Amaechi addressed reporters, urging voters to judge candidates on “merit, competence and proven performance.” He argued that the electorate should evaluate aspirants based on public‑service records rather than ethnicity, religion or identity politics. “What Nigerians are seeing today is that nearly everybody running for president has served the country in one way or another. Let it be a referendum on performance. Whoever has outperformed others should earn the people’s votes,” he said.
The former Rivers governor highlighted his tenure as governor and as transport minister as evidence of his capacity to lead. “Go back to Rivers State and see what I did. Go back to the Ministry of Transportation and assess my performance,” Amaechi added. He warned that Nigeria’s challenges require leadership that transcends regional or religious divides, noting that “there is no market for Christians, nor for Muslims, northerners or southerners” in the current economic climate.
Regarding the ADC’s internal selection process, Amaechi expressed a preference for direct primaries but said he would accept a consensus outcome if party members chose him. “If consensus favours me, fine. If not, I am prepared for primaries,” he remarked.
Atiku, who has previously contested the presidential election, did not speak to the media after filing his forms. His entry, alongside Amaechi and ADC stalwart Mohammed Hayatu‑Deen, sets the stage for an intra‑party contest that will determine the ADC’s candidate for the upcoming national election.
The filing of nomination papers by two high‑profile former office‑holders underscores the ADC’s growing profile as a platform for seasoned politicians seeking an alternative to the dominant parties. The party is expected to hold its presidential primary in the coming weeks, after which the selected candidate will begin nationwide campaigning.
