The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has officially named former Minister of Transportation and ex-Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, as the party's vice-presidential candidate for the 2027 presidential election. He'll run alongside former Vice President Atiku Abubakar on the ADC ticket.

In a statement on Monday, the party's National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, announced the decision on ADC's official X page. The party said Amaechi's selection followed extensive consultations with stakeholders across the country.

Amaechi finished as runner-up in the ADC's presidential primary. The party described the Atiku-Amaechi partnership as a combination of "two tested statesmen" with the experience and national appeal required to address Nigeria's challenges.

"The proposed partnership between His Excellency Atiku Abubakar and Rt. Hon. Rotimi Amaechi represents more than a political alliance; it's the coming together of two tested statesmen with the experience, national reach, and leadership capacity required to rescue Nigeria from its current challenges," the statement said.

"The National Leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) is proud to announce that the Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi has been selected as the Vice-Presidential Candidate of our great party for the 2027 Presidential Election."

The party highlighted Amaechi's credentials: he served as Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, two-term governor of Rivers State, and Minister of Transportation under President Muhammadu Buhari. "Few political leaders in Nigeria today possess such extensive and balanced experience across both the legislative and executive arms of government," the statement noted.

ADC argued that Amaechi's influence in the South-South and other parts of Southern Nigeria would strengthen the ticket and broaden its national appeal. "Together, Atiku Abubakar and Rotimi Amaechi embody a truly national ticket—one that bridges regions, generations, and political traditions. The ADC is prepared to govern, prepared to unite the nation, and prepared to deliver results."

The opposition party expressed confidence that the alliance would boost its coalition ahead of the 2027 election and offer Nigerians what it called a credible alternative focused on economic recovery, security, job creation, and national unity.

Rotimi Amaechi, 61, was governor of Rivers State from 2007 to 2015. He served as Director-General of the Buhari campaign in 2015 and later as Minister of Transportation from 2015 to 2022. During his tenure, he oversaw major rail projects, including the Abuja-Kaduna and Lagos-Ibadan rail lines. He fell out with Buhari's successor, Bola Tinubu, after the 2023 elections.

Atiku Abubakar, 79, was Vice President from 1999 to 2007 under President Olusegun Obasanjo. He's run for president five times: in 2007, 2011, 2015, 2019, and 2023. He lost the 2023 election to Tinubu. Atiku left the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2024 to join the ADC.

The ADC is a relatively small party compared to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the PDP. But the party hopes the Atiku-Amaechi ticket will attract defectors from both major parties and form a strong opposition coalition.

The 2027 presidential election is scheduled for February 2027. Both the APC and PDP haven't announced their candidates yet.