Chuks Okocha in Abuja

The African Democratic Congress (ADC), has dismissed concerns over the silence of former Rivers State governor, Rotimi Amaechi, insisting that he remained the party’s vice-presidential candidate for the 2027 general election.

ADC National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, said there was no crisis within the party and that Amaechi was under no obligation to publicly announce his acceptance of the nomination alongside the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.

Speaking on a television programme, Abdullahi questioned the basis of the controversy, saying, “What do you want to hear? That he has accepted? Did he have a duty to announce that he has accepted?”

Amaechi was among the aspirants, who contested the ADC presidential primary but rejected Atiku Abubakar’s emergence as the party’s flagbearer after the exercise.

However, shortly after the primary election, Atiku visited Amaechi, a move widely interpreted as part of efforts to reconcile party stakeholders and build consensus ahead of the 2027 election. Weeks later, the ADC announced Amaechi as Atiku’s running mate.

Since the announcement, the former Rivers governor has not made any public statement regarding his nomination as the party’s vice-presidential candidate, fuelling speculation over his position.

Addressing the issue, Abdullahi said the party followed due process before announcing Amaechi’s nomination, stressing that it was the responsibility of political parties, not candidates, to communicate such decisions.

“The party has announced that our running mate in 2027 is His Excellency Rotimi Amaechi. Did you hear anybody come out to say, ‘No, it’s not true, I’m not the running mate’?” he asked.

While declining to disclose details of the consultations that produced Amaechi as the vice-presidential candidate, Abdullahi maintained that the process was properly conducted.

He added that Atiku and Amaechi would be formally unveiled by the party at a later date, noting that the official campaign season has not commenced.

“We have ample time. We have not even formally unveiled our candidates,” he said.