The tallying of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential primary results has hit a temporary wall, leaving party supporters and political observers in a state of suspense. Chief Ikechi Emenike, the Chairman of the Presidential Primary Election Committee, officially announced late Tuesday that the process would be hitting a pause button.
For those wondering why a political exercise would stop in its tracks, the reasoning is a mix of the spiritual and the practical. With Eid al-Kabir being celebrated across the country, the party leadership chose to clear the decks so Muslim members could focus on their religious duties without the distraction of a high-stakes electoral process.
"We are postponing the collation to allow our brothers and sisters celebrating Sallah to participate in the religious activity and to enable returning officers who had flight challenges to arrive in Abuja later today," Chief Ikechi Emenike stated.
Beyond the religious observance, there’s a grit-and-grind reality to Nigerian elections that outsiders often miss. Several returning officers, tasked with bringing the hard-copy results from the grassroots to the capital, have been battling the headache of flight availability. Getting across the country right now isn't just a matter of showing up at an airport; it’s an exercise in patience that even party officials aren't immune to.
The Numbers Game So Far
With 36 states plus the Federal Capital Territory making up the map, the job is nearly three-quarters done. Exactly 24 results are already in the bag, meaning the final dash for the party ticket involves just 12 remaining states. The party expects to resume the collation process at 8 p.m. this evening once those straggling officials manage to touch down in Abuja.
The list of states that have already cleared the hurdle is quite extensive. It includes major political battlegrounds like Kano, Oyo, and Rivers' neighbors, alongside others such as Borno, Kebbi, Anambra, Abia, Ekiti, Ondo, Gombe, Imo, Yobe, Nasarawa, Enugu, Benue, Osun, Adamawa, and Kogi. You can also add Akwa Ibom, Ebonyi, Niger, Plateau, Sokoto, Taraba, Zamfara, and the FCT to that already counted tally.
For the average Nigerian following the race, this delay is less of a scandal and more of a reality check regarding how these processes function in the real world. The ADC, which often positions itself as an alternative to the major legacy parties, is trying to manage the optics of a smooth primary while dealing with the same infrastructure hurdles that plague ordinary travel. The success of this primary hinges on the integrity of these regional results being aggregated without error.
The party's decision to wait until 8 p.m. tonight sets the stage for a late-night session once the final officers reach the national collation center. Given the competitive nature of presidential primaries, the pressure on these final 12 states is bound to be intense. Every vote captured in those areas could shift the momentum for the aspirants who have been campaigning tirelessly to win the party's flagbearer position.