Former Rivers State Governor and former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, has withdrawn the lawsuit challenging the emergence of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) for the 2027 general election.
The case, which was before the Federal High Court in Abuja, was struck out on Friday, July 17, after Amaechi’s legal team informed the court that the matter had been resolved.
Delivering the ruling, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik struck out the suit after Amaechi’s counsel, Jibrin Okutepa, SAN, applied to discontinue the case.
Okutepa told the court that an application seeking the withdrawal of the suit had already been filed because all parties had reached an amicable settlement.
The senior advocate urged the court to strike out the matter, a request the judge granted.
Amaechi had approached the court to challenge the outcome of the ADC presidential primary held on May 25, which produced Atiku as the party’s standard-bearer.
In the suit, the former governor argued that the primary election violated provisions of the Electoral Act, 2026, the ADC Constitution, 2026, and the party’s guidelines for conducting primary elections.
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He asked the court to nullify the primary and set aside Atiku’s nomination, insisting that he was the rightful winner of the contest.
Amaechi also sought an order restraining Atiku from presenting himself as the ADC presidential candidate for the 2027 election and asked the court to stop the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognising him.
In addition, he requested that the ADC be compelled to organise a fresh presidential primary within 14 days in compliance with the Electoral Act, the party’s constitution and its electoral guidelines.
The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1215/2026, listed Atiku Abubakar, the African Democratic Congress and the Independent National Electoral Commission as defendants.
In an affidavit filed in support of the case, Amaechi stated that he was a registered member of the ADC in Ward 8, Ubima, Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State and had fulfilled all the requirements to contest the party’s presidential primary.
He said he purchased the nomination form, underwent screening, was cleared to participate, and appointed agents and coordinators to monitor the exercise nationwide.
With the withdrawal of the suit, the legal challenge against Atiku’s nomination before the Federal High Court has now come to an end.