Babachir dumps ADC, moves to work against Atiku’s 2027 presidential bid

Babachir Lawal, former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), has resigned from the African Democratic Congress (ADC), citing alleged irregularities in the party’s recently concluded primaries and vowing to oppose former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s presidential ambition ahead of the 2027 general election.

In a statement issued on Monday, Lawal accused the party’s leadership of manipulating the primary elections in favour of Atiku and his loyalists, alleging that legitimate winners were sidelined while preferred candidates were imposed.

According to him, the conduct of the primaries undermined the credibility of the party’s internal democratic process and made his continued membership untenable.

Mohammed Hayatu-Deen and former Rivers State governor, Rotimi Amaechi, had rejected the outcome of the presidential primary, alleging irregularities in the voting process. Hayatu-Deen also boycotted the official declaration of the results.

Following his victory, Atiku appealed to dissatisfied aspirants and party members to set aside their grievances and unite behind the party ahead of the general election.

“I appeal to all those who feel aggrieved to return to the party and close ranks with the rest of us,” he said after securing the ticket.

The former vice president specifically called on Amaechi and Hayatu-Deen to join forces with him in what he described as a collective effort to rescue Nigeria’s democracy and address the nation’s challenges.

He also visited Amaechi and Hayatu-Deen in Abuja and Lagos, respectively, after the primaries.

Lawal claimed that election results were either written or altered to favour Atiku and his allies, describing the exercise as a disgraceful charade.

“I cannot remain in a party where democratic principles have been sacrificed for the ambitions of one individual,” he said.

The former SGF further declared that he would not be part of what he described as Atiku’s “rigging machine” ahead of the 2027 elections, insisting that supporting the former vice president would amount to handing President Bola Tinubu an easy path to re-election.

In a scathing attack, Lawal argued that despite his reservations about Tinubu’s administration, Atiku would make a worse president if elected.

He said he would spend the coming months consulting with like-minded political associates on strategies to prevent Atiku from emerging victorious in the next presidential election.

Lawal’s resignation adds another layer of controversy to the ADC’s post-primary politics and could deepen divisions within the opposition party as preparations for the 2027 general elections gather momentum.