By Jane Okafor, Abuja
Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir David Lawal, has announced his resignation from the African Democratic Congress (ADC), alleging that the party’s recently concluded primaries were manipulated in favour of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.
In a strongly worded statement, Lawal accused the party leadership of overseeing what he described as a “massively rigged” primary process at all levels to ensure victory for Atiku, whom he repeatedly referred to as “Kachalla Atiku.”
According to him, election results were either written or altered to favour the former presidential candidate and his allies, while individuals who emerged victorious in some contests were allegedly replaced with members of what he called Atiku’s “syndicate.”
“I am exiting the ADC because its just concluded primaries were at all levels massively rigged in favour of Kachalla Abubakar Atiku. Results were just written or rewritten to favour him and his coven. Even where they allowed some semblance of election to hold, the winners were simply replaced with members of his syndicate,” he said
Lawal said he could not remain in a party that, in his view, had become a vehicle for electoral manipulation ahead of the 2027 general elections.
He further alleged that Atiku and his associates represented a form of ethnic and religious domination, claiming that supporting the former vice president’s presidential ambition would ultimately strengthen President Bola Tinubu’s chances of securing a second term in office.
“For me, working for Kachalla Atiku means giving Tinubu an automatic ticket to a second term,” he stated, adding that he believed Tinubu could ultimately prove to be a better president than Atiku despite his criticisms of the current administration.
The former SGF also criticised northern political actors whom he accused of supporting Atiku’s emergence despite what he described as the region’s worsening poverty and insecurity under the current administration.
Lawal said he would spend the coming months consulting with political associates on strategies to prevent Atiku from getting close to the presidency, while temporarily retreating to his village farm.
He predicted that Atiku and his supporters would ultimately be defeated by what he described as President Tinubu’s “superior rigging machine” during the 2027 elections.
The ADC has yet to officially respond to the allegations, while Atiku Abubakar and his camp have not publicly commented on Lawal’s claims.
Lawal’s exit is expected to intensify political debate within opposition circles as preparations for the 2027 general elections gather momentum.
