By our reporter
The internal crisis rocking the African Democratic Congress (ADC) shows no signs of abating, as a high-stakes peace meeting between the party’s presidential flagbearer, Atiku Abubakar, and aggrieved runner-up Rotimi Amaechi has ended in a deadlock.
Atiku visited the former Rivers State Governor and Minister of Transportation at his Abuja residence on Thursday afternoon.
The visit was a transparent, last-ditch effort to pacify Amaechi, who has fiercely rejected the outcome of the party’s presidential primary and demanded a total cancellation of the exercise.
The primary election exposed deep fractures within the ADC. While Atiku secured a landslide victory with 1,846,370 votes out of the 2,527,977 cast, Amaechi—who trailed at a distant second with 504,117 votes—has alleged widespread voter disenfranchisement across the country.
The brewing rebellion isn’t limited to Amaechi. Third-place finisher Alhaji Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, who secured 177,120 votes, has also formally rejected the results, leaving the ADC’s top tier in open revolt against the candidate.
In a statement released after the meeting, Atiku attempted to paint a picture of camaraderie, pivoting the conversation toward national issues, birthday pleasantries, and English Premier League banter.
“Beyond the warmth and camaraderie, we had deep and honest conversations about the troubling state of our nation.
“I also felicitated with him on the occasion of his birthday yesterday and teased that Arsenal’s historic triumph could not have arrived at a better time,” Atiku stated.
He added that Amaechi joked about owing him a traditional “Fisherman Soup” on a return visit.
Despite the cordial optics of Arsenal banter and promised delicacies, Atiku’s statement implicitly confirmed that the core political dispute remains entirely unresolved.
With Amaechi digs-in on his demand for a fresh primary and Atiku desperate to project a united front, the ADC remains a house divided ahead of the general election.
The “second leg” of this meeting will need to produce more than soup if the party hopes to survive its current civil war.
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