Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who recently secured the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential ticket for 2027, is locked in a private meeting with his former rival, Hayatu-Deen, at Atiku’s Lagos home. The closed-door session is part of a broader push to heal wounds within the party after a contentious primary.
Sources close to the discussions say the meeting is designed to bring aggrieved members back into the fold, following allegations of vote rigging that marred the party’s selection process. An interview with Hayatu-Deen is expected after the talks conclude.
The meeting comes days after the ADC primary, where Atiku emerged as the party’s flag bearer with 1,846,370 votes. Hayatu-Deen, who had contested alongside Atiku and former Transport Minister Rotimi Amaechi, withdrew from the race before the official results were announced, citing widespread irregularities.
“I will not be attending the announcement of the ADC Presidential Election Results today. I am concerned by reports from across the country of widespread vote rigging, some of which I myself observed, and will therefore be taking advice on my next steps,” Hayatu-Deen said at the time.
Despite his withdrawal, the party pressed ahead, with Amaechi finishing second with 504,117 votes and Hayatu-Deen trailing at 177,120 votes. Amaechi also rejected the outcome, calling the results “concocted” and alleging voter disenfranchisement.
Since clinching the ticket, Atiku has been on a reconciliation tour. Before meeting Hayatu-Deen, he sat down with Amaechi, where they discussed the nation’s economic pain and insecurity. “We had 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,” Atiku said after that meeting.
ADC National Chairman, Senator David Mark, has defended the primary as free and fair, though he admitted it had shortcomings. “All the aspirants were qualified to lead the party, but only one could emerge,” he said.
Atiku and Amaechi joined the ADC in July 2025 alongside other opposition figures, part of a political realignment aimed at challenging President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 general election.
