Former Vice-President, Atiku Abubakar, has taken a commanding lead in the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential primary election, winning 22 states and the Federal Capital Territory out of 24 results announced late Tuesday.
Naijaonpoint reports that Atiku was clearly ahead of former Rivers State governor and ex-Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, and economist Mohammed Hayatu-Deen as collation continued at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja.
Before party officials went on break late Tuesday, Amaechi had won two states, while Hayatu-Deen had yet to win any state among the results announced.
The development came amid protests by Amaechi and Hayatu-Deen over the conduct of the primary.
The controversy has raised questions about the credibility of the exercise and may trigger fresh tensions within the opposition party as it seeks to position itself ahead of the 2027 general election.
Despite the protests, returning officers from across the country continued to submit results from state primaries at the Abuja collation venue.
Officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) were also present to monitor the exercise.
Atiku won overwhelmingly in several states, including Ekiti, where he polled 18,395 votes.
Amaechi scored 1,574 votes, while Hayatu-Deen secured 149 votes.
In the FCT, Atiku polled 18,704 votes, Amaechi scored 14,721, while Hayatu-Deen garnered 5,575 votes.
In Gombe State, Returning Officer David Aku announced that Atiku secured 136,933 votes, Amaechi 1,141 votes, while Hayatu-Deen polled 455 votes.
Atiku also recorded a strong showing in Enugu, where he scored 33,879 votes.
Amaechi came second with 15,127 votes, while Hayatu-Deen polled 669 votes.
In Benue, Atiku polled 55,177 votes, Amaechi 30,881 and Hayatu-Deen 22,141.
In Abia, Atiku secured 25,153 votes, Amaechi 18,339 and Hayatu-Deen 2,264.
In Yobe, Atiku garnered 44,841 votes, while Amaechi scored 300 and Hayatu-Deen 365.
In Adamawa, his home state, Atiku polled 177,141 votes, while Hayatu-Deen scored 18,949 and Amaechi 1,896.
In Zamfara, Atiku won with 60,500 votes, while Hayatu-Deen and Amaechi polled 446 and 191 respectively.
In Borno, Atiku secured 86,084 votes, Hayatu-Deen came second with 3,011, while Amaechi scored 2,493.
Atiku also won Kano with 155,595 votes, while Hayatu-Deen polled 15,914 and Amaechi 9,994.
In Kebbi, Atiku scored 65,523 votes, Amaechi 5,931 and Hayatu-Deen 454.
In Sokoto, Atiku won with 63,823 votes, while Hayatu-Deen scored 319 and Amaechi 292.
Amaechi won in Akwa Ibom State with 20,343 votes.
Atiku came second with 17,623 votes, while Hayatu-Deen polled 2,054.
Amaechi also won in Ebonyi with 6,400 votes, while Hayatu-Deen came second with 4,840 votes.
