Atiku’s Camp Explains Why Amaechi Has Yet to Be Unveiled as Running Mate

A media aide to Atiku Abubakar, Abdulrasheed Shehu, has cleared the air over rumours claiming that former Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi has refused to accept his nomination as the vice-presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

The clarification came in response to a post on X asserting that all was not well within the ADC and that Amaechi was yet to accept the party’s offer.

The post went as far as urging the leadership of the ADC to dissolve its remaining structures into the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC).

Dismissing these claims entirely, Shehu stated that the ticket is fully finalized and attributed the delay in the formal presentation ceremony to the presidential candidate’s current travel schedule.

In his statement on X, Shehu wrote, “Atiku/Ameachi is settled. His Excellency is on a short business trip. Once he returns, Ameachi will be officially unveiled in a few days as the VP candidate. Stop posting fake news.”

This update follows a wave of initial uncertainty and conflicting reports after the ADC first produced its choice for the 2027 presidential election. While early rumours circulated about the pairing, party officials initially declined to give immediate confirmation, creating a gap that fueled speculation.

However, the ADC eventually cleared up the confusion by publicly announcing Amaechi as Atiku’s running mate on June 15, 2026. According to the party, the announcement followed extensive consultations with party stakeholders and coalition partners.

The Atiku-Amaechi pairing is aimed at challenging the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the upcoming 2027 general elections. Atiku, a former Vice President of Nigeria who previously flew the flag of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in multiple elections, emerged as the ADC’s presidential candidate after winning the party’s primary. Amaechi, who previously served as the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, a two-term Governor of Rivers State, and the Minister of Transportation under President Muhammadu Buhari, finished as the runner-up in the same primary before being selected for the vice-presidential slot.

The leadership of the ADC has described the combination as a unity and rescue ticket, explicitly designed to blend decades of executive experience, strong national reach, and regional balance to mount a formidable challenge against the APC.