The African Democratic Congress (ADC) is holding its presidential primary election today across Nigeria, with voting taking place in 8,809 wards and 774 local government areas (LGAs).

Three prominent aspirants—former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi, and former Managing Director of the defunct FSB International Bank, Mohammed Hayatu-Deen—are contesting for the party’s presidential ticket ahead of the 2027 general election.

The primary follows the collapse of several attempts by the party leadership to reach a consensus candidate, prompting a nationwide delegate exercise to determine its flagbearer.

The eventual winner will represent the ADC in the 2027 presidential election, where he is expected to face President Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Peter Obi, the reported consensus candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC).

Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, a former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential aspirant who stepped down from the 2022 race shortly before the primaries, has campaigned on a platform focused on economic recovery and security reform. He has proposed the establishment of a terrorism court and improved coordination among intelligence agencies, arguing that Nigeria’s security and economic challenges are closely linked and have contributed to rising poverty, inflation, and unemployment.

Rotimi Amaechi, who also contested the APC presidential ticket in 2022 but lost to Tinubu, has urged party members to prioritize competence and electability in choosing the party’s candidate. He warned against allowing ethnic and religious considerations to influence the outcome, arguing that such divisions could undermine efforts to build a strong opposition coalition capable of challenging the ruling party.

Atiku Abubakar, a long-time presidential contender who has run for Nigeria’s presidency multiple times since the 1990s, has described the 2027 election as his final attempt at securing the office. By the time of the next general election, he will be 80 years old. The former PDP presidential candidate joined the ADC in 2025 after previously contesting elections in 2007, 2019, and 2023.

The ADC primary is seen as a key test of the party’s internal cohesion and its ability to position itself as a major contender in Nigeria’s increasingly competitive 2027 presidential race.