Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, has publicly reached out to former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, in a warm birthday message delivered at a politically sensitive moment following the recent controversy surrounding the African Democratic Congress presidential primary.
Atiku, in a post shared on his Facebook page on Wednesday, described Amaechi as “a brother and fellow patriot,” praising his long-standing contributions to governance in Rivers State and his service to Nigeria at large.
He wished him continued strength, good health, and more years of public impact.
“Happy Birthday to my brother and fellow patriot, H.E. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi.
“Your courage, conviction, and years of service to Rivers State and Nigeria continue to inspire many across the nation. I wish you good health, strength, and many more years of impactful service to our dear country,” Atiku wrote.
The message comes barely a day after Amaechi openly rejected the outcome of the African Democratic Congress presidential primary. He had described the results as illegitimate, insisting that the process did not reflect the will of party members.
In a statement shared via his X account on Tuesday, Amaechi dismissed the outcome as “concocted results,” raising concerns over the credibility of the exercise. He maintained that he would only recognise any outcome that emerged from a transparent and fair process.
“I will not accept results from a process that does not reflect the values that the ADC had pledged to uphold,” Amaechi said.
He further alleged that a large number of party members, estimated at about 80 percent, were denied participation in the voting process. According to him, such exclusion undermines the credibility of the primary and weakens internal democracy within the party.
Amaechi also accused the party of contradicting its public stance against electoral malpractice, arguing that it cannot condemn vote buying and manipulation in national elections while allegedly tolerating similar practices within its own internal process.
