Babachir Lawal Quits ADC, Alleges Irregularities in Atiku’s Presidential Primary Victory ‎

Babachir Lawal Quits ADC, Alleges Irregularities in Atiku’s Presidential Primary Victory
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‎By  Monica Duruji
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‎E-ISSN: 2354-4481
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‎Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal, has announced his resignation from the African Democratic Congress (ADC), citing alleged irregularities in the party's recently concluded presidential primary election.
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‎Lawal disclosed his decision in a statement published on his official Facebook page on Monday, stating that he could no longer remain in a political party whose internal democratic process, in his view, lacked credibility and transparency.
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‎According to the former SGF, the presidential primary was heavily manipulated in favour of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, whom he accused of benefiting from a flawed electoral process.
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‎“I am exiting the ADC because its just concluded primaries were at all levels massively rigged in favour of Kachalla Abubakar Atiku,” Lawal stated.
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‎He further alleged that election results were altered to favour Atiku and his political allies, maintaining that the process failed to reflect the genuine wishes of party members.
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‎Lawal claimed that even in areas where voting was conducted, candidates who emerged victorious were allegedly replaced by individuals loyal to Atiku. Describing the exercise as a “disgraceful charade,” he argued that the primary fell short of acceptable democratic standards.
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‎The former SGF said his resignation was also driven by a desire to distance himself from a political structure he believes could undermine the integrity of future electoral contests.
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‎His departure comes amid continued debate surrounding the ADC presidential primary held on May 25, 2026, which produced Atiku Abubakar as the party’s presidential candidate for the next general election.
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‎Official results released by the party showed Atiku securing 1,846,370 votes to emerge victorious. Former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi finished second with 504,117 votes, while businessman Mohammed Hayatu-Deen came third with 177,120 votes.
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‎The conduct of the primary had earlier attracted criticism from some aspirants. Before the announcement of the final results, Hayatu-Deen publicly distanced himself from the exercise, citing concerns over alleged vote manipulation and questions surrounding the credibility of the process.
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‎Amaechi also expressed reservations about the conduct of the primary, alleging irregularities and procedural lapses during the election.
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‎Despite his initial concerns, Hayatu-Deen later ruled out any legal or political challenge to the outcome following a meeting with Atiku. He stated that preserving party unity and strengthening the opposition ahead of future elections were more important than pursuing personal political interests.
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‎Lawal, however, maintained his opposition to Atiku’s presidential ambition, stating that he would embark on consultations with political associates before deciding on his next political move.
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