National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) David Mark said Wednesday that his party’s contested presidential primary offered a proof of concept: democracy can function in Nigeria without descending into factional violence.
Speaking in Abuja Mark presided over the official collation and declaration of results that named former Vice President Atiku Abubakar the ADC’s nominee for the 2027 presidential election.
The canvass showed Atiku defeating former Transport Minister Rotimi Amaechi and ex-banker Mohammed Hayatu-Deen by wide margins: Atiku 1,846,370; Amaechi 504,117; Hayatu-Deen 177,120.
Total votes cast were 2,546,457 from a party membership of 3,113,599, the party said.
After the result was read, Chairman Mark formally handed the party flag to Atiku, describing the event as more than a nomination contest.
“Today is not just about announcing a presidential candidate,” he told members and media.
“Today is also about proving a point to Nigeria and to Nigerians. It is about proving that democracy can still work.”
Mark sought to cast the exercise as a rebuke to skeptics who had predicted disorder and fragmentation within the ADC.
“Many people doubted us. Some dismissed us. Others predicted confusion, division, and even outright collapse,” he said.
“But you stood firm. You kept faith with the ADC. And today, because of your commitment, our party stands taller, stronger, and more united.”
He praised the committees that oversaw screening and voting, saying they performed under “enormous pressure, logistical complexity, and intense national attention,” and that their work bolstered confidence in the party’s processes.
Mark also lauded the three aspirants for participating, calling the contest a demonstration of the ADC’s “deep commitment to democracy and democratic practices.”
The party opened the direct primary on May 25 after attempts to find a consensus candidate failed and none of the aspirants agreed to step aside.
The ADC’s primary marks one of several high-profile internal contests this year as the country’s political parties position themselves for the 2027 general election.
