Former Minister of Transportation and African Democratic Congress (ADC) chieftain, Rotimi Amaechi, has warned that the lingering legal dispute over the party’s leadership could trigger serious unrest if not handled carefully.
Amaechi raised the concern while reacting to the Federal High Court judgment that nullified the David Mark-led leadership of the ADC and invalidated the process that produced former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar as the party’s presidential candidate for the 2027 general elections.
Speaking during an interview on Mainland 98.3 FM, the former Rivers State governor said the party’s leadership had already moved to prevent the situation from escalating following the court ruling.
He disclosed that he met with Atiku and the party chairman shortly after they received news of the judgment, during which they agreed to appeal for calm among supporters.
“It could cause a civil war if not properly managed. When we heard the news, we quickly met, myself and the presidential candidate and the chairman of the party, and we said: ‘please, lower the tempo’,” Amaechi said.
The Federal High Court in Abuja, presided over by Justice Peter Lifu, had on Thursday ruled that the National Working Committee led by former Senate President David Mark was invalid.
The judgment also nullified the emergence of former Interior Minister Rauf Aregbesola as the party’s National Secretary and decisions taken by the Mark-led leadership, including the presidential nomination process that produced Atiku.
The court further directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) not to recognise decisions reached at the ADC’s 99th National Executive Committee meeting held on July 27, 2025.
The ruling followed a suit filed by Nafiu Gombe, a former Deputy National Chairman of the ADC for the North-East, who challenged the process through which Mark and other members of the caretaker committee assumed control of the party.
However, Amaechi questioned the basis of Gombe’s legal challenge, claiming that the former party official had previously signed a resignation document alongside the ADC’s former National Chairman, Ralph Nwosu.
He also claimed that a video showed Gombe standing behind Mark during the leadership handover.
“There is no internal rift in our party, none,” Amaechi insisted.
The former minister accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of attempting to exploit the crisis to weaken the opposition and discourage Nigerians from supporting the ADC.
He suggested that the development was connected to the growing political momentum behind the opposition party, particularly following what he described as the ADC’s impressive reception in Sokoto State.
On the 2027 presidential election, Amaechi expressed confidence in the electoral prospects of opposition figures across different parts of the country.
He predicted that Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde would give President Bola Tinubu a strong challenge in the South-West, particularly in his home state.
Amaechi also expressed confidence that Peter Obi would secure victory across the five states in the South-East, describing the South-South as another important battleground.
He maintained that Atiku had considerable political influence across the 19 northern states, suggesting that the former vice-president would enjoy substantial support in the region.
Amaechi revisited the circumstances surrounding his defeat at the APC presidential primary ahead of the 2023 general election, blaming his decision not to campaign extensively on assurances allegedly given to him by the late President Muhammadu Buhari.
According to him, Buhari had promised to announce him as his preferred successor and advised him against campaigning for the party’s presidential ticket.
“The only mistake I made was listening to the late President Muhammadu Buhari, who told me: ‘Don’t campaign, don’t do anything; I will announce you as my candidate’,” he said.
Amaechi claimed that Buhari’s assurance was documented in writing and explained that he followed the instruction because the former president was his superior.
He further argued that he could have won the APC presidential primary if he had embarked on a more aggressive campaign, claiming that several governors were prepared to support his ambition.
The ADC chieftain also accused Tinubu of using political negotiations and religious sentiments to secure support during the APC presidential contest.
He alleged that a delegation of southern Muslim leaders appealed to northern governors to support Tinubu on religious grounds.
Amaechi also referenced comments allegedly made by former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, whom he described as a former supporter, suggesting that religion influenced political decisions during the contest.
He, however, condemned the use of religious identity to mobilise political support, insisting that such tactics could deepen divisions in Nigeria.
“I will never play religious politics,” Amaechi declared.
