Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar established a commanding lead in the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential primary on Tuesday night, polling more than 1.4 million votes across 24 states and the Federal Capital Territory before the exercise was abruptly adjourned.
What initially appeared to be a competitive three-way contest quickly transformed into a one-sided race, as Atiku opened wide margins over former Rivers State governor Rotimi Amaechi and businessman Mohammed Hayatu-Deen in several key states.
By the time collation was suspended shortly before midnight at the party’s national collation centre in Abuja, many delegates and party officials had shifted focus from who would emerge victorious to the possible scale of Atiku’s final margin.
The exercise, chaired by Chairman of the Presidential Primary Election Committee, Ikechi Emenike, was paused after hours of state-by-state declarations.
Announcing the adjournment, Emenike said the decision was taken to allow Muslim party members observe Eid al-Kabir celebrations, while also citing logistical challenges affecting some returning officers.
“Collation for the remaining states will commence by 8 p.m. tomorrow (Wednesday). Some returning officers had flight challenges getting to Abuja,” he said.
Before the suspension, results from 24 states and the FCT had already been announced, leaving 12 states outstanding.
The declared states included Kebbi, Anambra, Abia, Ekiti, Ondo, Gombe, Oyo, Imo, Yobe, Nasarawa, Enugu, Benue, Osun, Kogi, Taraba, Kano, Akwa Ibom, Adamawa, Sokoto, Zamfara, Borno, Ebonyi, Niger, Plateau and the FCT.
Atiku dominated major voting blocs, particularly in the North, where he recorded overwhelming victories that significantly widened the gap between him and his challengers.
His biggest haul came from Adamawa State, where he secured 177,141 votes, far ahead of Amaechi’s 1,896 and Hayatu-Deen’s 18,949.
In Kano, another critical battleground, Atiku polled 155,595 votes, while Amaechi secured 9,994 votes and Hayatu-Deen recorded 15,914.
Gombe produced one of the most lopsided outcomes of the night, with Atiku scoring 136,933 votes against Amaechi’s 1,140 and Hayatu-Deen’s 455.
The former vice president also recorded commanding victories in Borno, Sokoto and Zamfara, consolidating his dominance across several northern states.
Amaechi’s strongest resistance emerged in Benue, Taraba and Kogi states, though the margins were insufficient to significantly slow Atiku’s momentum.
In Benue, Amaechi polled 30,881 votes against Atiku’s 55,177, while Hayatu-Deen secured 22,141 votes.
Taraba saw Amaechi score 25,150 votes, with Atiku leading at 48,523 and Hayatu-Deen polling 8,369.
In Kogi, Atiku maintained the lead with 48,351 votes, followed by Amaechi with 23,573 and Hayatu-Deen with 9,173.
Hayatu-Deen posted some of his strongest performances in Benue, Kano and Adamawa but struggled to challenge Atiku’s dominance across most declared states.
Running Totals From Declared States
- Atiku Abubakar — 1,432,275 votes
- Rotimi Amaechi — 246,455 votes
- Mohammed Hayatu-Deen — 135,375 votes
With 12 states still awaiting declaration, Atiku’s massive lead has already positioned him as the overwhelming favourite in the contest, as party stakeholders continue to watch whether the remaining results will merely extend the margin or reshape the narrative of the race.
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