Babachir Lawal Dumps ADC, Accuses Atiku of Rigging Party Primaries

Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal, has announced his resignation from the African Democratic Congress (ADC), accusing former Vice President Atiku Abubakar of masterminding widespread irregularities during the party’s recently concluded primaries.

In a lengthy statement titled “The Kachalla Series Part 1,” Lawal alleged that the ADC primaries at various levels were heavily manipulated in favour of Atiku, whom he repeatedly referred to as “Kachalla Abubakar Atiku.”

According to Lawal, the exercise was characterized by the rewriting of results and the replacement of duly elected candidates with individuals loyal to Atiku and his political associates.

“I am exiting the ADC because its just concluded primaries were at all levels massively rigged in favour of Kachalla Abubakar Atiku,” Lawal declared, describing the process as “a disgraceful charade.”

The former SGF further claimed that many party members had chosen to remain silent despite what he described as blatant electoral misconduct within the party.

Lawal said his decision to leave the ADC was also informed by his refusal to participate in what he termed Atiku’s “rigging machine” ahead of the 2027 general elections.

He accused the former presidential candidate and his allies of promoting ethnic and religious domination, alleging that their political agenda would be detrimental to Nigeria’s future.

In one of the most controversial sections of his statement, Lawal argued that despite his dissatisfaction with President Bola Tinubu’s administration, an Atiku presidency would be even worse for the country.

“For me, working for Kachalla Atiku means giving Tinubu an automatic ticket to a second term,” he said, adding that he believes President Tinubu could ultimately perform better than Atiku if presented with a direct choice between the two.

The former SGF also raised concerns about what he described as Atiku’s large family structure and alleged shrinking business interests, suggesting that such factors could influence governance priorities if he were elected president.

Lawal further criticized northern political leaders who, according to him, supported Atiku’s emergence despite the region’s worsening poverty and insecurity challenges.

He questioned why northern politicians would rally behind what he described as an “incompetent” candidate instead of seeking leadership capable of addressing the region’s pressing socio-economic problems.

While announcing his departure from active party politics for the time being, Lawal said he would return to his village farm while consulting with associates on strategies to prevent Atiku from securing the presidency in 2027.

He predicted that Atiku and his supporters would ultimately be defeated politically, claiming that President Tinubu’s political machinery would overpower any efforts by the former vice president to return to power.

Lawal concluded his statement by expressing disappointment with what he sees as the North’s continued support for leaders driven by religious and ethnic considerations rather than competence and national development.

His resignation is expected to generate fresh debate within opposition circles as political realignments ahead of the 2027 general elections continue to gather momentum.

Neither Atiku Abubakar nor the ADC leadership had officially responded to Lawal’s allegations as of the time of filing this report.