Amaechi Rejected as Atiku’s Running Mate Amid ADC Coalition Tensions.
By Bala Salihu Dawakin Kudu
Northern Bureau Chief, Democracy Newsline
July 5, 2026.
A fresh political controversy has emerged within the African Democratic Congress (ADC)-led coalition following the rejection of former Minister of Transportation and ex-Governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi, as a potential running mate to the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The opposition came from the Southern Political Progressives Amalgamation Forum, which described Amaechi as a political liability incapable of strengthening the coalition’s electoral prospects in Southern Nigeria.
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In a statement issued on Saturday, the Forum’s Convener, Anga Fidelis, argued that Amaechi no longer commands the political influence required to deliver votes, alleging that he would struggle to secure victory even in his home base of Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State.
Fidelis questioned how Amaechi could assist the ADC in winning support across the 17 southern states if he was unable to maintain a strong political foothold in his own constituency.
According to the Forum, Atiku Abubakar should carefully assess the political realities in the Niger Delta before making a final decision on his running mate. The group maintained that the vice-presidential candidate should be someone capable of expanding the party’s electoral reach rather than depending on the presidential candidate’s popularity.
Amaechi’s role in the 2015 presidential election, alleging that his support for the opposition coalition that defeated former President Goodluck Jonathan remains unpopular among many people in the Niger Delta. It argued that the development had weakened his acceptance across the region.
While acknowledging Amaechi’s impressive political résumé as a two-term governor, former Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly and former Minister of Transportation, the group insisted that his past achievements no longer translate into significant electoral influence.
The Forum warned that selecting Amaechi as Atiku’s running mate could undermine the coalition’s chances in the 2027 election and inadvertently strengthen President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid.
As political consultations intensify ahead of the 2027 polls, the debate over the choice of a vice-presidential candidate is expected to remain a key issue within the emerging opposition coalition. However, neither Atiku Abubakar nor Rotimi Amaechi had officially responded to the Forum’s position as of the time of filing this report.
The Southern Political Progressives Amalgamation Forum has opposed the reported consideration of former Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi as the running mate to ADC presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar for the 2027 elections. The group argued that Amaechi lacks the political strength to attract votes in Southern Nigeria and urged the ADC leadership to nominate a candidate with broader regional acceptance. No official announcement has been made by the ADC regarding its vice-presidential candidate, and both Atiku Abubakar and Amaechi are yet to respond to the group’s claims.
Additional Information
The African Democratic Congress has become a major platform for opposition coalition talks ahead of the 2027 general elections. Although speculation continues over possible presidential and vice-presidential candidates, the party has not formally announced a running mate. Political analysts believe the eventual choice will be crucial in determining the coalition’s ability to build national support, particularly across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.
(DEMOCRACY NEWSLINE NEWSPAPER, JULY 5TH 2026)
