Former Vice-President of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar, has won the African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential primary in Sokoto State with 68,823 votes across the state’s 23 LGAs.

Announcing the result on Monday, the state returning officer, Prof. Aminu Abubakar, declared Mr Abubakar winner of the exercise, describing the election as peaceful.

According to him, Mr Abubakar polled 68,823 votes to defeat former Minister of Transportation and ex-governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi, who secured 292 votes, while Muhammad Hayatu-Deen got 319 votes.

The returning officer said a total of 69,434 votes were cast during the primary.

“I, therefore, hereby declare Alhaji Atiku Abubakar as the presidential candidate with the highest number of votes cast in Sokoto”, he said.

Party leaders present during the announcement included former Sokoto State governor, Aminu Tambuwal, party officials, senatorial aspirants, the state chairman of the ADC, Abdullahi Maigwandu, officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and security personnel.