Former Edo State governor, John Odigie-Oyegun, says leaders of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in the South-South have endorsed the presidential ambition of Rotimi Amaechi over other candidates like former Anambra governor, Peter Obi.
Odigie-Oyegun made this known on Friday during the ADC South-South leaders’ consultative meeting in Benin City. He said Amaechi formally informed regional leaders of his intention to contest the presidency and received unanimous support from stakeholders across the zone.
“We are glad that our son, Rotimi Amaechi, took advantage of this meeting to brief us formally of his intention to run for the presidency of our great nation.
“We were very pleased. We thanked him for the respect he has for the leaders of the zone for not letting loose in this zone, for setting up his own personal structures, for ensuring like every good son that he tells his people what he has in mind before he embarks on it.
“We are pleased and I cannot report that a unanimous decision was taken to give him all the support that he needs in pursuit of his ambition.
“Lastly, we are going to meet regularly. This group of leaders are going to meet regularly to learn from each other’s experience. So that as usual, the South-South zone will become an example to be emulated by other zone in the nation.”
Amaechi had earlier, in July 2025, declared his readiness to serve a single term if he secures the ADC presidential ticket and wins the 2027 election. He has repeatedly argued that the party should field a southern candidate in line with the principle of power rotation.
The former minister of transportation maintained that the South should complete an eight-year tenure before power returns to the North, warning that presenting a northern candidate could weaken the ADC’s support base in the region.
Amaechi previously contested the presidential ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2022 but lost to President Bola Tinubu. While several aspirants stepped down for Tinubu, Amaechi remained in the race and finished second.
Former vice president Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi, who contested the 2023 presidential election on different platforms, have also expressed interest in the ADC ticket for 2027.
