2027 Election: ADC's Atiku Reportedly Picks Amaechi as Running Mate, Reason Surfaces
- Atiku Abubakar reportedly selected Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi as his running mate for the 2027 presidential election
- Political landscape assessment shifted focus to Amaechi's potential appeal from the south-south geopolitical zone
- Speculation grows over Atiku-Amaechi ADC ticket, with no official confirmation yet from either candidate
Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over nine years of experience covering politics, elections, public affairs, and governance in Nigeria and Africa.
FCT, Abuja - Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in the 2027 elections, has reportedly selected Rotimi Amaechi, a former minister of transportation, as his running mate for the 2027 elections.
As reported by the Nigerian Tribune on Sunday, June 14, party sources indicate that the former vice president made the decision after a detailed assessment of the political landscape. Insiders said it became clear that selecting a candidate from the south-east would offer little advantage, particularly with Peter Obi already contesting under another party’s platform. Obi is a member of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), having exited the ADC.
Source: Twitter
2027 election: Why Atiku picked Amaechi
The report added that the initial plan was to pick a governor from the south-west, but this was reconsidered on the grounds that voters in the region might be unwilling to trade the presidency for the vice-presidential slot. Attention then shifted to the south-south, where former Rivers state Governor Rotimi Amaechi’s influence was seen as a potential boost to the ticket’s appeal.
A source said:
"I can assure you that once the presidential candidate returns, Amaechi will be presented to the public.”
Atiku is reportedly on a short foreign trip.
Growing speculation over Atiku-Amaechi
Legit.ng reports that speculation over a possible Atiku-Amaechi ticket has intensified since the conclusion of the ADC presidential primary in May, which Atiku won ahead of Amaechi and other aspirants.
The reports suggested that the former Nigerian No.2 citizen had opted for a north-east/south-south combination ahead of the 2027 elections, with Atiku from Adamawa state and Amaechi from Rivers state.
The speculation gained further traction after an ADC chieftain, Chukwuemeka Eze, dismissed claims that Amaechi had rejected a possible vice-presidential offer.
Eze was reacting to comments attributed to party stalwart Dele Momodu, who suggested that the former transportation minister was unwilling to accept the vice-presidential position.
In a statement, Eze said there was no basis for concluding that Amaechi had turned down the purported offer.
If Amaechi accepts the role, it would be the third time he would occupy such a position.
The 61-year-old previously served as director-general (DG) of both successful presidential campaigns of the late former President Muhammadu Buhari. He led the Buhari–Yemi Osinbajo Presidential Campaign Organisation during the 2015 elections and was reappointed in the same capacity for Buhari’s 2019 re-election bid.
However, despite being a member of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) at the time, Amaechi declined to campaign for Bola Tinubu, the present Nigerian president, stating that he was not convinced he could lead Nigeria.
As of the time of this report, neither Atiku nor Amaechi had publicly confirmed Sunday's report.
Source: Facebook
Read more on Atiku Abubakar:
- Cleric releases 2026 prophecies, seeks prayers for Atiku, VeryDarkMan as full message emerges
- 2027 election: Peter Obi predicted to align with Tinubu, "he will never agree to work with the coalition"
- Atiku clarifies encounter with APC’s Yari in Abuja as ex-VP sets sights on sacking Tinubu
Atiku not yet retired
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that ahead of the 2027 elections, Atiku accused "anti-democratic elements" of attempting to create confusion and dampen the momentum of the ADC.
According to a statement by Atiku's media office, obtained by Legit.ng, the former Vice President said insinuations that he has quit active politics are fake news.
Source: Legit.ng
