Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, has resigned from the African Democratic Congress (ADC), accusing the party of conducting massively rigged primaries in favor of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and his allies.
Allegations of Manipulation
In a statement released on Monday, June 1, Lawal claimed that the recently concluded ADC primaries for the 2027 elections were compromised at multiple levels. He described the process as unfair and lacking credibility, alleging that outcomes were predetermined.
The ADC held nationwide direct primaries to select candidates for governorship, legislative, and presidential positions. Atiku emerged as the presidential candidate after securing 1,846,370 votes, defeating opponents Rotimi Amaechi and Mohammed Hayatu-Deen.
Lawal's Accusations
Lawal stated that in many instances, declared winners were replaced with preferred candidates from Atiku's camp. “I sense a conspiracy of silence of which I want no part. Most members of the party are behaving as if this is the normal thing to do,” he said. “Even where they allowed some semblance of election to hold, the winners were simply replaced with members of his syndicate. In the real sense, it was a disgraceful charade.”
The former SGF emphasized that he could not remain in a party that tolerates electoral manipulation. He declared his opposition to Atiku's presidential ambition, criticizing the former vice-president's leadership credentials.
Reactions and Next Steps
Lawal's resignation follows the rejection of the primary results by Amaechi and Hayatu-Deen, who boycotted the official announcement in Abuja. The ADC has yet to respond publicly to the allegations.
