Atiku Shops For Running Mate, Ihedioha Emerges Frontrunner

The presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has begun the search for a running mate, investigations by LEADERSHIP Sunday have shown.

Atiku, a veteran of the presidential race, won his party’s presidential ticket on Wednesday, a result disputed by his fellow contestants.

The two contestants, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi and Alhaji Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, condemned the outcome of the primary, which they alleged was neither free, fair, nor credible.

However, in his acceptance speech, Atiku called on the two men to join him in rescuing the country from the grip of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

The former vice president subsequently visited Amaechi at his Abuja residence to seek his cooperation.

However, during the visit, Atiku was said to have remained silent on the issue of a running mate, neither asking the former governor to be his running mate nor discussing possible nominees.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with media entrepreneur Chude Jideonwo on #WithChude, a day after publicly criticising the process and outcome of the primaries, Amaechi insisted that he stood by his comments on the party’s primary.

He also said that no one had approached him about becoming Atiku’s vice-presidential candidate.

“I stand by what I said about the ‘concocted results,” Amaechi said firmly. “But I am still a member of the ADC. No one has asked me to be VP. They know my worth.”

Investigations by LEADERSHIP Sunday indicated that Amaechi is not being considered for the position of running mate by Atiku and his close allies.

Sources close to Atiku and top party members are said to prefer that his running mate come from the South-East, which is considered his natural political ally and strategically important ahead of the 2027 general election.

The position of running mate was reportedly reserved for former Anambra State governor, Mr Peter Obi, before he resigned from the party and joined the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC).

Obi was Atiku’s running mate when both contested the 2019 presidential election on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), but they lost to the late President Muhammadu Buhari of the APC.

Thereafter, both politicians pursued separate paths in the 2023 general election. While Obi contested on the Labour Party platform, Atiku remained the PDP candidate.

President Bola Tinubu of the APC, who defeated both candidates, secured 8,794,726 votes, while Atiku and Obi polled 6,984,520 and 6,101,533 votes respectively.

LEADERSHIP Sunday gathered that former Imo State governor and former deputy speaker of the House of Representatives, Emeka Ihedioha, is being tipped for the role of Atiku’s running mate.

Unlike many South-East politicians who left the ADC for the NDC alongside Obi, Ihedioha remained in the party and reportedly played a key role in mobilising support for Atiku during the presidential primary.

“He actually played a major role in ensuring that the region was delivered for the former vice president in the just-concluded presidential primary of the party,” a senior party source, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to comment publicly, told LEADERSHIP Sunday.

Ihedioha, who contested the 2019 governorship election on the PDP platform, was sworn in as governor of Imo State on 29 May 2019 but was removed from office by the Supreme Court on 14 January 2020. He was subsequently replaced by Senator Hope Uzodimma.

The former deputy speaker is still widely regarded as an influential political figure in the South-East, the same region from which Obi, the NDC presidential candidate, hails.

Reliable sources close to Atiku and members of his inner circle are said to be concerned that Amaechi, despite coming from the South-South, does not currently command sufficient political control in Rivers State or the wider region.

“Naturally, Atiku is looking towards the South-East for a running mate. Amaechi might have been considered if he had control of his region or even his state. It would amount to political suicide to pick someone who may not even be able to deliver his ward,” the source added.

In the search for a running mate, it was learnt that Atiku and the party are working in line with the electoral timetable released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Atiku’s Special Adviser, Paul Ibe, told our correspondent that consultations were ongoing and that the party would comply with the INEC timetable for the submission of its presidential ticket.

Ibe said the ADC remained committed to meeting all electoral deadlines set by INEC and would submit the name of its presidential candidate within the stipulated period.

According to him, consultations are continuing on the composition of the party’s ticket ahead of the 2027 general election.

Asked about speculation linking Ihedioha and Amaechi to the vice-presidential slot, Ibe ruled out Amaechi as a likely nominee.

However, he was less definitive regarding Ihedioha, declining to either confirm or deny reports that the former governor was under consideration.

He said, “As for the issue of a running mate, consultations are still ongoing. Rotimi Amaechi is not being considered. Atiku Abubakar’s visit to Amaechi has nothing to do with the vice-presidential slot.

“You are also aware that Amaechi himself has denied the speculation. On the other names being mentioned, I do not want to speculate at this point. When the party reaches a decision, Nigerians will be informed.”

Meanwhile, a senior INEC source maintained that the date for the submission of candidates in the commission’s timetable remains valid.

The source said political parties have continued to comply with the electoral timetable despite the recent court judgement that has generated debate over the commission’s schedule for the 2027 elections.

“Mind you, another court has ruled that the commission has the right to fix the election timetable. We have also appealed against the initial judgement,” the source said, arguing that the ruling reinforces INEC’s authority to set and implement its electoral schedule.

According to the source, there has been no official alteration to the timetable, and political parties are proceeding with their activities in line with the existing schedule.

The development comes amid growing interest in the composition of the ADC presidential ticket and political parties’ preparations for the 2027 general election.

The commission fixed 29 August 2026 as the deadline for the submission of candidates’ names for the presidential and National Assembly elections.