Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has congratulated former Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi on his 61st birthday, describing him as a courageous leader and committed patriot.
Atiku, in a post shared on his verified X account on Wednesday, praised Amaechi’s contributions to governance and national development, saying his years of public service had continued to inspire Nigerians across the country.
“Happy Birthday to my brother and fellow patriot, H.E. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi. Your courage, conviction, and years of service to Rivers State and Nigeria continue to inspire many across the nation,” Atiku wrote.
The former presidential candidate also wished Amaechi good health, strength and more years of service to the nation.
The birthday message comes at a time of growing controversy over the presidential primary election of the African Democratic Congress.
Amaechi, who contested the party’s presidential ticket alongside Atiku and economist Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, on Tuesday rejected the outcome of the exercise, alleging widespread irregularities and voter disenfranchisement.
In a statement posted on his verified X handle, the former Rivers State governor described the results announced from across the country as “concocted,” insisting that the process failed to reflect the democratic values the party claimed to uphold.
Amaechi stated that he had made it clear before the exercise that he would only accept the outcome if the primary was conducted in a transparent and credible manner.
According to him, a significant number of party members were denied the opportunity to vote during the exercise conducted across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
“There’s no way that about eighty per cent of members of the party were not allowed to vote, and you expect me to accept such results. Then what makes us different from the others?” he queried.
He further warned that the ADC risked losing its moral standing if it engaged in the same practices it had criticised in the ruling All Progressives Congress and the Independent National Electoral Commission.
Amaechi maintained that allegations of vote-buying, result manipulation and voter suppression were unacceptable for a party seeking to offer Nigerians a credible political alternative.
His rejection of the process followed a similar protest by fellow aspirant Hayatu-Deen, who also boycotted the final collation and declaration ceremony in Abuja over claims of irregularities.
Meanwhile, Atiku also celebrated former Osun State governor and ADC National Secretary Rauf Aregbesola on his 69th birthday.
In a separate message, the former vice president described Aregbesola as a steadfast democrat whose years of service and commitment to progressive ideals had continued to inspire many Nigerians.
Leave a Reply