Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, on Monday exchanged strong words over the conduct of the African Democratic Congress presidential primaries which produced Mr Atiku as the party’s candidate for the 2027 election.
Mr Atiku secured a total of 1,846,370 votes to defeat former Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, and businessman-politician, Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, who polled 504,117 and 177,120 votes respectively.
Mr Lawal, a prominent opposition figure and former ADC chieftain, announced his resignation from the party while accusing Mr Atiku of influencing the outcome of the primaries.
Babachir Lawal alleges primary manipulation
In a statement shared on his social media platforms, Mr Lawal described the primary election as massively rigged in favour of Mr Atiku.
“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 an election to be held, the winners were simply replaced with members of his syndicate. In the real sense, it was a disgraceful charade,” Mr Lawal stated.
The former SGF said he could not remain silent over what he described as irregularities within the party.
“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 added.
Mr Lawal further declared that supporting Mr Atiku’s presidential ambition would amount to handing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu an easy path to re-election in 2027.
Atiku camp fires back
Reacting through his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, the Atiku camp rejected all allegations of manipulation and insisted the exercise reflected the will of ADC members nationwide.
The statement accused Mr Lawal of making serious allegations without evidence.
“Having chosen to malign a democratic process, insult thousands of ADC members nationwide, and make grave allegations without presenting a shred of evidence, it has become necessary to set the record straight,” the statement read.
Mr Shaibu argued that Mr Lawal failed to produce proof to support claims of electoral fraud.
“The truth is straightforward. The ADC presidential primaries were conducted across thousands of wards and produced a clear and decisive outcome.”
The Atiku camp also questioned why Mr Lawal accepted the governorship outcome in Adamawa State where his relative reportedly emerged victorious.
“Nigerians are entitled to ask whether the process was only credible when it favoured his family and only rigged when it produced a presidential candidate he did not support,” the statement added.
Grass-cutting scandal resurfaces
The Atiku camp also revived controversies surrounding Mr Lawal’s removal from office during the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari over the widely publicised “grass-cutting scandal.”
Mr Shaibu said it was ironic that Mr Lawal now presents himself as a champion of integrity.
“Nigerians may forgive many things, but they seldom forget history,” the statement noted.
Mr Lawal has repeatedly denied wrongdoing in relation to the scandal.
Hayatu-Deen rules out court action
Meanwhile, Mr Hayatu-Deen ruled out challenging the outcome of the primaries in court despite expressing dissatisfaction with the process.
In a post-primary statement titled “My campaign, the silent majority and the future of our democracy,” he said preserving opposition unity was more important than personal ambition.
“I have decided, after careful reflection and wide consultation, that I will not challenge the outcome in court.
“Nigeria urgently requires a strong, credible and united opposition. That objective must always remain larger than individual ambition or temporary political disappointment,” Mr Hayatu-Deen stated.
Although he raised concerns over alleged procedural irregularities during the primary, he said he had communicated those issues privately to the party leadership.
Mr Hayatu-Deen added that his campaign may have ended, but the broader mission of national renewal remains ongoing.
The developments highlight growing tension within the ADC following its presidential primary as opposition parties continue strategic positioning ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The public disagreement between leading opposition figures has also sparked debate over internal democracy, coalition politics, and the future of the ADC as a major opposition platform against the ruling APC.
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