Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, has announced his resignation from the African Democratic Congress (ADC), alleging that the party’s recently concluded primaries were massively manipulated in favour of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.
Key Highlights:
•Babachir Lawal quit ADC over alleged irregularities in party primaries
•Former SGF accuses Atiku Abubakar’s camp of influencing primary results
•Lawal claims winners were replaced with preferred candidates
•Ex-ADC chieftain says he will not be part of what he described as a “rigging machine”
•Resignation adds fresh controversy to opposition politics ahead of 2027 elections
•Lawal vows to continue consultations on Nigeria’s political future
In a strongly worded statement, Lawal alleged that the ADC primaries at various levels were manipulated to favour Atiku Abubakar and his political allies.
According to him, many party members remained silent despite what he described as widespread irregularities and the rewriting of results to benefit a select group within the party.
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“I am exiting the ADC because its just concluded primaries were at all levels massively rigged in favour of Atiku Abubakar. Results were simply written or rewritten to favour him and his group. Even where elections appeared to hold, winners were allegedly replaced with members of his syndicate,” Lawal stated.
The former SGF described the exercise as a “disgraceful charade” and said remaining in the party would amount to endorsing practices he strongly opposes.
Lawal further argued that he could not be part of what he termed a political machinery designed to influence future electoral outcomes, particularly ahead of the 2027 general elections.
He accused Atiku and his supporters of promoting interests that he believes are contrary to Nigeria’s broader democratic aspirations, while expressing concern over the direction of opposition politics.
In the statement, Lawal also claimed that supporting Atiku’s presidential ambition could inadvertently strengthen President Bola Tinubu’s chances of securing a second term in office.
The former SGF said his decision was driven by personal conviction and political principles, adding that he joined the ADC to contribute to positive national change and not to participate in activities he considers detrimental to democratic values.
Lawal also criticised the conduct of party stakeholders involved in the primaries and questioned the judgment of those backing Atiku’s emergence as the party’s presidential candidate.
Despite announcing his exit from the ADC, he disclosed that he would continue consulting with like-minded political associates on the future of the country and strategies for the 2027 elections.
He said he intends to temporarily withdraw from active political engagement and focus on his personal affairs while monitoring political developments from his hometown.
The resignation is expected to generate fresh debate within opposition circles, particularly as political parties begin consolidating their structures ahead of the next general election.
As of the time of filing this report, neither the ADC leadership nor Atiku Abubakar’s camp had officially responded to the allegations raised by the former SGF.
