Former presidential aspirant of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, has ruled out challenging the outcome of the party’s presidential primary in court, despite alleging widespread irregularities in the exercise that produced former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as the party’s candidate.
Hayatu-Deen said that although the outcome of the May 25 primary fell short of his expectations, he had chosen not to pursue legal action in the interest of opposition unity and Nigeria’s democratic future.
“The outcome of the May 25 primary did not fully meet my expectations, and I have communicated my deep concerns about certain processes and procedural matters directly and privately to the leadership of the party. I will not challenge the outcome in court,” he wrote in a statement on Monday.
Before the official declaration of results on May 26, Hayatu-Deen had raised concerns over alleged vote manipulation, announcing that he would not attend the results presentation.
“I will not be attending the announcement of the ADC presidential primary results today. I am concerned by reports from across the country of widespread vote rigging, some of which I personally observed,” he said at the time.
Questioning what he described as inconsistencies within the party, Hayatu-Deen said “How can the ADC criticise INEC for election interference and the falsification of results, and yet tolerate the same within its own house?”
Despite his disappointment with the outcome, he expressed gratitude to his supporters, saying the campaign had revealed Nigeria’s “silent majority” who still believe in integrity, accountability and responsible leadership.
“What I will carry forward from this campaign is not bitterness, but gratitude,” he said.
His decision not to seek legal redress is expected to ease tensions within the ADC as opposition parties position themselves ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Hayatu-Deen stressed that building a stronger and fairer Nigeria remains more important than any individual political contest.