Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), 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.
In a strongly worded statement, Lawal claimed that the primaries at all levels were “rigged” to ensure victory for Atiku and his allies, describing the exercise as a “disgraceful charade.” According to him, results were either written outright or altered to favour Atiku’s camp, while candidates who emerged victorious in areas where elections were held were allegedly replaced by members of what he described as Atiku’s “syndicate.”
Lawal said he could no longer remain in the party because doing so would make him part of what he termed Atiku’s “rigging machine” ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The former SGF accused Atiku and his associates of pursuing ethnic and religious interests rather than national development, arguing that an Atiku presidency would be detrimental to Nigeria’s future. He further stated that, despite his criticisms of President Bola Tinubu’s administration, he believes Tinubu could ultimately prove to be a better president than Atiku.
Lawal also expressed concerns about what he described as Atiku’s extensive family and political network, suggesting that such connections could fuel nepotism if he were elected president.
In the statement, he criticised northern political actors who allegedly supported Atiku’s emergence, arguing that the region, which has been severely affected by poverty and insecurity, should have sought a more competent alternative. He described Atiku as an “incompetent octogenarian” and questioned his ability to address the country’s challenges.
The former SGF said he would spend time consulting with like-minded associates on ways to prevent Atiku from getting close to the presidency in 2027. In the meantime, he said he would retire temporarily to his village farm while observing developments within the opposition.
Lawal predicted that Atiku and those he accused of manipulating the ADC primaries would ultimately be defeated by President Tinubu’s political machinery in the next general election.
His resignation adds a new dimension to the political realignments ahead of the 2027 elections and is expected to fuel further debate within opposition circles over the conduct of party primaries and leadership selection processes.