Utomi clarifies South-South ADC meeting, denies endorsement of Amaechi for 2027 presidency

A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Prof. Pat Utomi, has clarified what transpired during the recent meeting of the party’s South-South leaders, dismissing claims that a former Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, was endorsed for the 2027 presidential election.

Reports had earlier suggested that leaders of the ADC in the South-South geopolitical zone endorsed Amaechi as the party’s preferred candidate for the 2027 presidential race. However, the national leadership of the party swiftly refuted the claim, describing it as misleading and undemocratic.

In a statement, the ADC leadership warned that such reports represented “a troubling example of how selective narratives can distort political reality,” insisting that no official endorsement had been granted to any aspirant.

Providing further clarification, Utomi took to his verified X (formerly Twitter) account to explain what actually occurred during the Benin meeting.

“In Benin, ADC South South leaders met. Chibuike Amaechi announced interest in contesting for the Party’s presidential ticket,” Utomi wrote.

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“His request was received as is the tradition. No word of discussion took place on the matter. Representation of endorsement is inaccurate and disingenuous.”

Amaechi, who served as Minister of Transportation under the late President Muhammadu Buhari, has formally declared his intention to contest the presidency in 2027 on the ADC platform.

With his declaration, the former governor joins other prominent political figures who have made their ambitions public ahead of the next general election, including Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi.

The development signals the early stages of what is expected to be an intense contest within the ADC, as the party positions itself as a viable alternative in Nigeria’s evolving political landscape ahead of 2027.