Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, has announced his resignation from the African Democratic Congress (ADC), citing alleged irregularities in the party’s primary elections.
Lawal made his position known in a lengthy post on Facebook, where he accused the ADC leadership of allowing widespread manipulation of its recently concluded primaries in favour of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.
The former SGF, who joined the ADC after leaving the ruling APC in July 2025, said the primaries were marred by alleged result alterations and candidate replacements.
According to him, the process was designed to favour Atiku and his supporters, a development he described as unacceptable.
Explaining his decision to leave the party, Lawal said he could not remain in an organisation he believed would become a vehicle for electoral manipulation ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
He stated that staying in the ADC would amount to supporting a political project he strongly disagreed with.
Lawal also launched a series of attacks against Atiku, accusing him and his allies of pursuing ethnic and religious interests.
He argued that supporting Atiku’s presidential ambition would ultimately strengthen Tinubu’s chances of securing another term in office.
Despite his criticism of the current administration, Lawal said he believes Tinubu would still perform better as president than Atiku if the two emerge as the main contenders in the next election.
The former APC chieftain further accused northern political actors of backing Atiku despite what he described as the region’s growing challenges of poverty and insecurity.
He questioned the decision to support the former vice president, insisting that the North should be seeking leadership capable of addressing its pressing problems.
Lawal said he would spend the coming months consulting with political associates while temporarily withdrawing to his village. He added that he intends to work with like-minded individuals to prevent Atiku from getting close to the presidency in 2027.
