By CHARLES IWUOHA

The deepening leadership crisis rocking the Ebonyi State chapter of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) assumed a dramatic ’Imension on Monday as rival factions of the party conducted parallel presidential primary elections and announced conflicting outcomes, with former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar and former Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, both declared winners by competing party structures.

The development has further exposed widening cracks within the opposition party in Ebonyi State, intensifying concerns over legitimacy, institutional authority and internal cohesion ahead of the 2027 general elections.

While one faction declared Atiku winner of a presidential primary reportedly conducted across the state’s 171 political wards, another structure loyal to the recognised state leadership earlier announced Amaechi as victor in a separate exercise, a situation political observers now describe as a dangerous escalation of factional contestation within the party.

The parallel declarations, announced from different locations by separate committees laying claim to constitutional authority, underscored the intensifying struggle for control of the ADC’s political machinery in Ebonyi State.

The Atiku-backed camp announced its result late Monday at Preston Hotel, Abakaliki, which served as its designated collation centre. Declaring the outcome on behalf of the “Ebonyi State Presidential Primary Election Committee,” Chairman of the committee and ADC National Vice Chairman (Diaspora), Fred Onwe, said Atiku polled 15,300 votes to defeat Amaechi, who secured 2,200 votes, while Muhammad Hayatu-Deen garnered 200 votes.

According to the committee, a total of 18,891 voters were registered across Ebonyi State, while 17,700 accredited voters reportedly participated in the exercise conducted across the 13 local government areas.

“Consequent upon the outcome of the election as seen above, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, having scored the highest votes, is hereby declared winner in Ebonyi State,” Onwe stated.

The declaration was jointly signed by Onwe and the committee secretary, Egbedike Michael.

In his remarks, factional State Chairman of the party, Barrister Silas Joseph Onu, commended returning officers for what he described as their resilience and commitment despite adverse weather conditions caused by heavy rainfall across parts of the state.

According to him, the exercise reflected the determination of party faithful to sustain democratic participation and internal inclusiveness.

However, the declaration immediately deepened controversy surrounding the conduct of the primary, particularly because another faction of the party had, hours earlier, announced a completely different outcome.

Earlier in the day, the Ebonyi ADC leadership led by State Chairman, Dr Mrs Jennifer Adibe-Nwafor, supervised a separate presidential primary election at the party secretariat along the old Abakaliki-Enugu Expressway, where Amaechi emerged victorious.

Announcing the result, the alleged Coordinator of Electoral Matters and Returning Officer, Bassey Edogi Imoke, disclosed that Amaechi polled 6,050 votes to defeat Atiku, who secured 1,210 votes, while Muhammad Hayatu-Deen garnered 4,840 votes.

Imoke stated that the exercise was conducted through the direct primary system across the 171 political wards in the state.

According to him, 12,641 delegates were registered for the exercise, while 12,100 delegates were accredited and participated in the election.

“The mode of election is direct primary. The election was conducted across the 171 political wards in Ebonyi State. Total registered delegates were 12,641 while accredited delegates were 12,100,” Imoke declared.

“Atiku Abubakar scored 1,210 votes, Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi scored 6,050 votes while Muhammad Hayatu-Deen scored 4,840 votes. Consequently, Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi, having scored the highest number of lawful votes cast, is hereby returned elected as the preferred flag bearer of the African Democratic Congress in Ebonyi State.”

The contradictory outcomes have now plunged the Ebonyi chapter of the ADC into an unprecedented legitimacy crisis, with both camps laying claim to institutional recognition and constitutional backing.