Some leaders of the African Democratic Congress in the South-South have endorsed former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, for the party’s 2027 presidential ticket, a move seen as heightening internal competition and mounting fresh pressure on other southern aspirants such as Peter Obi.
The endorsement was disclosed on Friday by party chieftain and former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, John Odigie-Oyegun, during a consultative meeting of ADC leaders from the South-South held in Benin City, Edo State.
Odigie-Oyegun said Amaechi formally informed leaders of the zone of his intention to run for president and received unanimous backing from stakeholders at the meeting.
He commended the former minister for consulting leaders in his region before formally launching his ambition.
Amaechi had earlier, in July 2025, declared his readiness to serve a single term if he secures the ADC ticket and wins the 2027 presidential election.
He has consistently advocated for the party to zone its ticket to the South, citing the principle of power rotation.
According to him, the South should be allowed to complete an eight-year tenure before power shifts back to the North.
He warned that presenting a northern candidate at a time when many Southerners believe power should remain in the South could undermine the party’s support base in the region.
Amaechi previously contested the presidential ticket of the APC in 2022 but lost to President Bola Tinubu.
While several aspirants stepped down in support of Tinubu, Amaechi remained in the race and finished second.
The South-South endorsement is expected to trigger further alignments and strategic consultations within the ADC as it prepares for its presidential primaries ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Meanwhile, the Independent National Electoral Commission has directed political parties to conduct their primaries between April 23 and May 30, 2026.
However, the ADC has rejected the timetable, alleging that it confers undue advantage on the ruling party.
Party spokesman Bolaji Abdullahi described the schedule as creating an “almost impossible hurdle” for opposition parties.
He cited Section 77(7) of the Electoral Act 2026, which stipulates that any political party that fails to submit its membership register within the prescribed timeframe would be ineligible to field candidates, arguing that the provision is exclusionary rather than merely administrative.
