VP Nomination: Why should Amaechi announce acceptance? — ADC fires back at critics

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has dismissed concerns surrounding the continued silence of former Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, following the party’s announcement naming him as the running mate to its 2027 presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.

Speaking on Trust TV’s Daily Politics, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, said there was no crisis within the party and questioned why Amaechi was expected to publicly declare acceptance of the nomination.

Abdullahi was responding to speculation among supporters and political observers over Amaechi’s failure to personally confirm his acceptance of the vice-presidential slot since the announcement was made.

“What do you want to hear? That he has accepted?” Abdullahi asked.

“Did he have a duty to announce that he has accepted? Because you should expect that conversation took place that led to that announcement by the party.”

He maintained that political parties, not candidates, formally announce such decisions and insisted that the process that produced Amaechi as the party’s vice-presidential candidate was properly followed.

“What more do you expect from the candidate? For him to come out and say, ‘Oh, my party has nominated me as running mate, I hereby accept’? When is it ever done?” he queried.

According to him, Amaechi’s silence should not be interpreted as uncertainty or disagreement with the party’s decision.

“The party has taken a position, the party has announced. Did you hear anybody come out to say, ‘No, it’s not true, I’m not the running mate’? The party has announced that our running mate in 2027 is His Excellency Rotimi Amaechi,” he stated.

When asked whether Amaechi personally consented before the announcement, Abdullahi declined to discuss internal consultations but reiterated that due process was observed.

“The party took a decision and there was a process for arriving at that decision,” he said.

He added that both Atiku and Amaechi would be formally unveiled to Nigerians at the appropriate time.

“At the appropriate date, we are going to unveil the two of them. We have ample time. The campaign has not even started. We have not even formally unveiled our candidates,” he said.

Abdullahi also described the ADC as a party guided by institutional procedures rather than individual personalities, claiming it remains the only political party that recently conducted a nationwide internal election involving members across all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

“We are trying to build a political party where the party is supreme,” he said.

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