Presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, has returned to Nigeria following a brief business trip abroad ahead of the expected official unveiling of Rotimi Amaechi as his running mate for the 2027 presidential election.
Atiku arrived at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja on Saturday night, where he was received by supporters and well-wishers.
His return comes as political parties prepare to submit the names of their presidential and vice-presidential candidates to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) through the nomination process, which is expected to commence this week.
INEC had earlier distributed nomination forms to political parties, requiring candidates to complete the forms and return them to their respective parties for electronic submission using designated access codes.
Sources within the ADC said Atiku’s return would enable him to conclude consultations and formally unveil Amaechi as his vice-presidential candidate.
Although the ADC has announced Amaechi as its vice-presidential nominee, the appointment is yet to be formally presented by Atiku.
The former vice president secured the ADC presidential ticket during the party’s primary election in May and has since intensified preparations for the 2027 general election.
Confirming Atiku’s return, his media aide, Abdulrasheed Shehu, shared photographs of the arrival on social media.
“His Excellency Atiku Abubakar joyfully returned to Nigeria after a brief overseas trip, greeted warmly by enthusiastic supporters and numerous well-wishers,” Shehu wrote.
Earlier, on June 21, Shehu had explained that the official unveiling of Amaechi was delayed because Atiku was outside the country on a short business trip.
He also dismissed reports of disagreements over the vice-presidential slot, insisting there was no crisis within the party and assuring supporters that the formal announcement would be made upon Atiku’s return to Nigeria.
The expected unveiling of Amaechi is seen as a significant step in the ADC’s preparations for the 2027 presidential election as the party moves to complete the submission of its nomination documents to INEC.
