ADC says it will examine complaints raised after Atiku Abubakar won the party’s presidential primary election.
- +Lawal Batagarawa: ADC Will Review Complaints From Amaechi, Hayatu-Deen
A member of the ADC Presidential Primary Committee, Lawal Batagarawa, says the party will review complaints raised by aspirants after Atiku Abubakar emerged winner of the party’s presidential primary.
A member of the ADC Presidential Primary Committee, Lawal Batagarawa, says the party will review complaints raised by aspirants after Atiku Abubakar emerged winner of the party’s presidential primary.
Speaking during an interview with ARISE NEWS on Thursday, Batagarawa said the African Democratic Congress would handle the complaints through its internal process after former Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi and businessman Mohammed Hayatu-Deen rejected the outcome of the exercise.
Atiku won the primary with about 1.8 million votes. Amaechi scored 540,117 votes, while Hayatu-Deen polled 177,120 votes.
Batagarawa said disagreements were expected after a contest of that nature.
“You see, in any contest of this nature, there’ll be some dissatisfactions,” he said.
“And the complaints will be looked into thoroughly to make sure everybody is satisfied that what has taken place has been done according to the rules and regulations within the party and the law of the country.”
Amaechi described the result as “concocted” and claimed many voters were disenfranchised. Hayatu-Deen also alleged irregularities during the primary.
Responding to the claims, Batagarawa said the party was not ignoring the concerns raised by the aspirants.
“We are not taking what they are saying lightly,” he said.
“It will be thoroughly looked into in such a way that they can be satisfied things went correctly.”
Batagarawa also defended comments made by Atiku after the primary where the former vice president said President Bola Tinubu should “pack and return to Lagos.”
“He is expected to make statements that will ginger the supporters to go out and start campaigning vigorously,” he said.
On concerns that the complaints could divide the party, Batagarawa said the ADC would follow its internal process and engage all sides involved.
“We have due processes in the party and we are going to go through them,” he said.
Batagarawa added that discussions on how to strengthen the party’s ticket ahead of the 2027 election would remain internal for now.
